Fate:Chosen by the Dark
by 18piker
Summary: He trained his entire life to save others, only to lose it all, she fights to save lives in the memory of someone close to her. together, they might be able to save the world from a dark foe. (I do not own cover image) (Reboot out now.)
1. Chapter 1: Dark Beginnings

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 1(rewrite(again))**

**[Warning! This story has a darker version of Shirou Emiya and contains mature themes and gore!]**

**[disclaimer! I do not own the Fate series or any of the music in this series of stories, I only own the few OCs I've created specifically for these stories]**

This whole Grail War turned into hell. Sakura, one of my childhood friends, who confessed her love for me, feelings that I did not share with, succumbed to all the evil in the world. Rin, her biological sister, was foolishly trying to save her in some hope that Sakura can be redeemed. After all what she's done? Impossible. Helping Rin was my older sister, Illyasviel, she agreed to helping Rin in the hopes that by saving Sakura, she can also save me. But I really don't need to be saved.

I had just killed the second to last Servant, Rider, or Medusa really, and was now fighting the woman who taught me how to fight and live by the sword. Artoria Pendragon, my mentor. Who was also corrupted by the Holy Grail's mud, the same mud Sakura used to take her away from me here in the physical world.

***Swish***

***Swing***

***Crash***

Artoria tried to kill me with an overhead swing, but I used my father's crest to move faster than her and stab her in the spirit core. Finally making her whole once more. "Sh-Shirou?" she said to me, blood tricking down the sword I stabbed her with. Caliburn, her old weapon, now drenched in its true master's blood. "I'm sorry, Artoria…but…I will save the world, even if I have to kill the woman who taught me." She placed her left hand on the blade and dropped Excalibur Morgan on the ground with a sorrowful clang.

**[Tragedy and Fate]**

"Finish it…apprentice." I did as she ordered, I twisted the sword but held her head close. Tears freely flowing down from my eyes. "Don't cry Shirou, for you are a King now...for goodness sake, don't let your failures define you, or consume you...like they consumed me...goodbye Shirou, The Second King of Knights."

She said this to me as she disappeared into mana particles, returning to Camlann Hill, her personal hell. "Goodbye…teacher." I said to her with so much pain in my voice. I did it, I beat all the servants, all that was left were the surviving masters. Finally putting an end to this bloodshed. I got up and walked towards the entrance of the Greater Grail's chamber.

There they were…Rin, Keire, Illya, and my target Sakura. I traced my counterparts bow and turned Caliburn into an arrow, aiming it right at Sakura's heart. I held my breath, slow and steady. I don't care about her, she isn't the same Sakura that I once saw as a close friend, she's just a monster who willingly committed genocide. My whole city is burning because of her, all this pain, all this suffering, it will end once she's gone, the world will be a better place without a creature like her breathing. But not my mentors suffering, I was her last chance at being freed, but Sakura blew it. Destroying any hope of me saving her. At least she will return to that hell satisfied in that she trained a worthy successor.

I focused everything into this shot, this single shot will save the world. I release the arrow; it flew faster than a bullet being fired out of a sniper rifle. Impaling her to the cave walls behind her. Sakura was now chocking on her blood and had seconds to live.

"Onee-san?" is all she was able to say. I looked at her with no emotion, the tears I shed were only for my mentor right now. Everyone that was left alive looked at my deed in horror, but Keire quickly regained his composure and said to me. "So, you really are _his_ son. You killed the woman who confessed her love for you, the same love you rejected. Why? Why Emiya, Shirou?"

Why? The answer to his question is a simple one. "Why? Because one life is not equal to the six billion that live in this world. If I have to sacrifice one who I once called 'friend' to do it, then so be it… I will only regret one thing out this whole war. I was unable to save my mentor…I failed to save Artoria."

Rin finally looked back at me with a look that spoke of pure rage. She rushed past Keire with her Azoth Dagger in a backwards grip, tears flowing out of her eyes as she charged towards me with a banshee scream. She was trying to kill me, I banished my bow and traced Caliburn once more, parrying her attack and thrusting the holy blade through her stomach, a mortal wound that I doubt she could heal it time with her magecraft.

"I'm sorry, Rin…may you find your family in the afterlife." I said to her with little to no emotion, her dagger fell with a sorrowful clang, blood flowed out of her mouth as she chocked on her own blood. "You…bastard." Is all she said to me before she left this world. I banished the sword and let her body fall with a thud on the ground. I then looked at my sister, the hopelessness in her eyes almost broke me.

"Shirou…" Illya started. "w-would you grieve if I sacrificed myself here and now?" my eyes widened on horror this time; I know what she's going to do.

"Illya…don't…please…you're all I have left." I said to her with tears starting to break their way out of my eyes. I noticed that Keire rushed towards my sister with some black keys. I used my recreated crest to alter the flow of time. Tracing my counterparts favored swords. I pierced his heart with Kanshou and stabbed his throat with Bakuya.

But in the end, I was too late. Illya used the dress of heaven to close the Gates of the Holy Grail, giving up her life as a sacrifice to do it. "Goodbye…little brother." Her life ended in mid-air. I quickly and desperately grabbed her before her body could hit the ground. "Illya…no…" I said with a broken tone. I laid her on the ground and closed her eyes. Covering her corpse with my coat.

**[Eien No Toga-Kenji Kawai]**

I got up and left the cave, once I was gone, I looked towards my home, Fuyuki City. It was gone…burning away by Sakura's curse. Only I was spared, twice I've survived the fires of Angra Mainyu. I…I saved the world, but I couldn't save the ones I cared about. Artoria, Rin, Sakura, Illya, Issei, Taiga, all of them. I was all alone…my city is a graveyard now.

I fell on my knees and screamed at the world in tears. "I'm…I'm sorry…everyone. I'm sorry that…I couldn't save any of you." I said in whimpers.

I suddenly felt like something was constricting around me to the point of pain. I screamed once more, only to have a serpent force itself down my throat headfirst, I couldn't stop it. Perhaps this is my death, the punishment I deserve for all the wrong I've done. But it felt like something else was happening to me. My blood was on fire and my muscles were getting denser, it felt like something was etching itself onto my skin. I'm tuning into something that isn't human.

"**Thou art worthy of my power, thou are now The Black Dragon of Swords." **A mysterious and booming voice said to me in my mind. Then the world around me turned black.

I woke up to myself in endless white, "Hello there." I turned around to find the source of the voice. It was what looked like a 50-year-old mean with glowing red eyes. "I am Zelretch, the wielder of The Second Magic." He gave me a dramatic pause, "Now that I've told you who I am, your majesty, I want to make a deal with you." A deal…is he the devil or something?

"What do you want…Zelretch?" I finally said to him.

"Why my boy, I want to give you a second change, a new life. How about that? You get to start again. However, you must do something for me." What does he want? If he can do what he says, then I can be left alone. "What must I do?" Zeltrech paused, he was obviously amused

"You must save the Morgan Pendragon of the world I send you to. You must not just save her body, but also her heart. She is not the same Morgan la Fey that you know." What? He wants me to save the one person who made my mentors life a living hell? Well, one of them. But…if I can prevent her from becoming the witch everyone knows her for being, then I can save the world too. I got up and reached my hand out, accepting his deal.

He grabbed my hand and said to me, "Good, but first, you need some armor, lucky for you, someone had already made a set specially tailored for you. You'll find out who made it later on." With the snap of his fingers, a new pair of cloths formed onto my body, a black suit that spoke of medieval nobility with a red collar and red lining, and a black suit of armor formed on me next, as well as knowledge on how to call it forth and banish parts of it or the whole suit completely, then a long, crimson cloak with a black fur finish was given to me. "It'll be winter where I'm sending you, you'll need that."

After that, I woke up to find myself laying on a snow-covered forest. I sat up to get a better look at my surroundings and found out that I was near a clearing. The sound of clanging metal could be heard behind me, I turned to my left to find a man in black robes that wielded black eyes, he had followers, knights with weapons and torches. They were chasing a hooded woman in rags, I got a glimpse at her face, it was her. I need to save her. I rushed up a tree and traced my bow and a sword, ignoring the fact that the armor didn't even weigh me down. I chased them, jumping from tree to tree, avoiding their gazes, Morgan tripped and fell face first into the snow.

"Com'ere witch!" said a knight that closed in on her as she tried to crawl away in desperation, taking out a rope and bound her hands from behind and then picked her up. She screamed in fear, struggling to be freed, "Please No! DON'T!" is all she could say before he removed her hood, I saw that she had hair that reached down to her neck, he wrapped a rope around her mouth to act as a gag, preventing her from using incantations. 'strange' I said in my head, 'Artoria said that Morgan had lengthy blond hair, what happened?'

It was now or never, I aimed the sword turned arrow right at the visor of the knight's helmet, I released it, pinning the man onto the ground and paining the snow with blood. I then traced Gae Bolg and plunged towards the second knight closest to her. Aiming the barbed spear right at a weak spot on his armor before pulling it out of him. I then went for the closest knight next to me.

"Wha-GAGH!" I pierced through and impaled him on the cursed spear, then I rushed to Morgan's side, spear ready to defend her from her attackers. She was on her side and unable to get up because of the rope that tied her hands behind her back. The inquisitor then spoke.

"Why are you defending evil? She is a witch, she must be burned in order for her soul to be saved!" this lunatic, it's obvious that he won't hear me out. Good, I don't like priest anyway. I banished my weapon; I want this to be a challenge. I saw that the ends of my gauntlets are clawed, I could use these as my weapons. I remained silent, I need them to feel fear, fear is one of the most effective weapons in existence, my father taught me that much. A knight on my right then rushed towards me, I dodged his attack and grabbed his sword, forcing it through his left armpit. Killing him instantly and leaving more blood. The sound of bones being crushed filled the air. I let the sword go before charging at another knight to my left, using my claws I cut straight through his armor and chainmail, leaving a nasty gash on his chest. I did a similar thing to another knight next to me, but this time it was on his face before I snapped his neck. Finally, there was the inquisitor, he wasn't shaking, but I could tell that he was afraid of what I could do to him.

I traced Konshou and Bakuya once more, he charged at me, I parried his attack from the left and cleaved his throat with Bakuya. Painting the snow even more. I turned around to see Morgan and started walking towards her, she started tearing up as I got closer to her, the muffled screams called out for help, she thought that I was here to kill her. I could hear her sobbing thought the rope to. "Hold still." I said to her with a calm tone as I banished Kanshou.

I got to her back and cut her hands free with Bakuya. She then rushed her hands towards the rope and removed it, Morgan rushed away from me in fear. I don't blame her really; I probably look like a demon with this armor. I casually followed the footprints she left in the snow back to a bounded field. My father taught me how to break them, but this is a tricky one, so I need to be careful. No, I should wait for her to come out. I need to gain her trust, doing something like this will make her call fourth Fae Knights, the last thing I want to do is be hunted by The Wild Hunt. I turned to my right and walked towards the closest tree and sat up against it. Giving myself a moment to think back on my past. Here I am, defending my mentor' half-sister and even she's scared of me, what did I do wrong? I asked myself this question before closing my eyes for some sleep. Using my cloak as a blanket and I banished my helmet, perhaps some shuteye would do some good. But a flash of my sister's dead body hit my mind, "Illya…" I said to myself as tears started to flow down my eyes, I banished my armor in its entirety and wiped away the tears with my sleeves, I muffled my sobs while I forced myself to sleep.

**[Meteor-Fate/Prototype]**

My sleep wasn't a peaceful one, strange dreams of a black dragon plagued my mind as I slept. The great beast was magnificent, but it was covered with red marking similar to the ones on my mentor in her corrupted state and Sakura. They were almost jagged with angry patterns, his head looked more primal then the descriptions my mentor gave me, its horns were longer than other dragons, almost like a crown. The teeth matched Artoria's description, but its where the fangs are were all similarities stop, longer than they should be, like fangs. The beast sat on top of a hill, behind him was a massive army of both ancient humans and dragons, armed and ready to fight a great war. What I saw next was…me? I was fighting Archer in his Realty Marble, the world both he and I share, and there it was, the same dragon from before, but it was now a ghost, watching me with great interest.

"_**He is the one…"**_ it was male, the sound of its voice told me all, a voice that spoke of hope.

What I saw next was me, betraying and slaughtering the ones I once loved. Following my father's ideals, the way he did, killing the few to save the many. The fear and hopelessness in their eyes, they knew that they would be fighting against all odds, but in the end, they still lost to me. _"Don't cry Shirou, for you are a king now…_" that was the only thing I heard, out of everything else, it was only my mentor's words that could be heard.

How pathetic, I couldn't save the ones closet to me, all because I was chosen to be the next King of Knights. What a sick joke…fate truly is a cruel mistress. Is this the reward for being a hero? The ones we care about are taken away… all of this suffering just for following naïve ideals. The Archer from my counterpart's timeline was right from the very start, being a hero of justice isn't worth it, no matter how hard you fight.

I woke up with tears in my eyes. How sad, I need to get my emotions back under control. I can't show any weakness right now. I turned to my left to see Morgan, keeping her distance but also concerned for my wellbeing. Huh? Who knew that I would have similarities to her? I finally noticed that the ends of her hair were all uneven, meaning that she was once shaved baled by the church. How did she escape I wonder?

"Are you alright?" Morgan finally mustered up some courage to ask me, she shouldn't worry about me, my wellbeing matters little.

"I'm alright, just some bad memories came up in my sleep. I'll be okay in a few minutes, how are you doing, Lady Morgan?" she looked confusesd when I called her by the rank of Lady, like it was foreign to her.  
"why did you call me that? Yes, my father is the late King Uther Pendragon, but I'm a bastard…unless, you're talking about my mother, are you?" I nodded to confirm her suspension, her mother is the previous Fae Queen, I'm only her protector, nothing else.


	2. Chapter 2:A Strange Hero

Fate:Chosen by the Dark

Chapter 2: A Strange Hero.

"_You shouldn't have been born you bastard! Why did our father let you live? Guards! Kill this witch!" I began running, as far as my legs could carry me, trying not to slip in the mud as the rain poured down. I was running into the forest where I will be safe, until I acceptedly bumped into my uncle Vortigern. He raised his large great sword to kill me, only for my mother to somehow manifest herself into the world and take the blow instead, mortally wounding her. Vortigern left me after that, I sat next to my dying mother in tears as the rain started to die down._

"_**Remember this and remember it well Morgan, your mother's death is your fault." **__He said to me as he walked away, satisfied in that he broke one child of Uther._

"_It's okay my child… Don't hate the humans for this day… Our duty as the Fae is to guide them so they can be…better…you are destined for greatness, my child." she said as she wiped away my tears with a sad smile. Those where the last things she said to me as she disappeared into mana particles. "mother? MOTHER?! MOTHER?!" _

I woke up in tears and my right hand reaching out into the sky. I hated that memory…the night my half-sister Edith found out that I was a mage and betrayed me, the night I escaped only to find my uncle, for him to kill my mother next…forever banishing her to Avalon, never to return. It's better than the strange visions I have of the future. I can almost never figure out what those dreams mean anyway.

Since that night, I've been dedicated to following her ideals without taking up the Fae Crown. I got up from the pile of hay that I used as my bed, it isn't easy living on your lonesome, but I found a way, the memory of my mother's smile…that is what kept me going for three years now. Instead of giving in to my anger and hatred towards others, I saw things through my mother's way of looking at the world, I saw beauty in that. Because of that, I dedicated my life to healing others, despite what the humans say about me, the endless witch hunts never weakened my resolve.

I made some stew for breakfast to start my day, better than starting it with a bad memory. I remembered the few humans that helped me in my past, the ones who hid me away from the church. But the church did get me once…the memories of what they did to me are still fresh in my mind. The constant cracking of a whip… 'Repent your sins, witch, and the pain will stop.' I AM NOT A WITCH! I screamed in my head as I ate my meal. My hair hasn't been as long as it used to be after that day, I went into hiding after I escaped as well. But I still have to make a living somehow.

"_Mistress," _started one of my familiars, "_no signs of any humans in the area, you are safe to go outside." _Well…time to get to work. My job is that I supply the local doctors with medicane that I make, we split the money we both make in order to make things fair, 'my work doesn't come cheap.' I told them, they agreed with this deal eventually. The local villages around my forest have been thriving since then. They didn't trust me at first, I wouldn't blame them, making a deal with someone that has a 50 gold coin bounty on their head would seem scary, if not tempting to call it in. but they didn't, seeing that my work can help them from the plagues that have been troubling them. 'a necessary evil' some called me.

I walked outside into the winter snow, the beautiful bright sun light reflecting off the blanket on the ground. Winters here in Britain were harsh, but I can survive them no problem. It's the humans that I worry about, they don't have some of the advantages that I do, they aren't magical begins like myself, I have the blood of a Red Dragon and the Fae in me. They don't, they can easily die from the cold if they aren't careful.

Herbs are harder to find at this time of the year, but there are a few I can use, just add some Fae magic to boost their effects and I've made a more effective medicine than what the normal humans can create. The access money I get I give to the local orphans to help them out, the rest I use for just buying food and cloths, I don't care what the church calls me, I know what I'm doing is making a difference, these people need my help and guidance, it's what we Fae do.

The collection and preservation of these medical herbs continued until sundown, one of my familiars was rushing towards with in a panic, something bad about to happen, "_Mistress! The church. Their coming!" _I started to run; I need to hide. 'How did they find me' I asked myself. I made a turn to my right to find the Church sent only 1 inquisitor with a group of heavily armed knights with him. No. I can't go back there!

I need to get back to my cottage, my bounded field can hide my presence once I'm inside. But once I saw how far away my cottage was, I started to panic, why did I go so far away? I need to run, run for my life right now. "There!" said one of the knights, he found me, shit. I need to run faster, but the snow is hindering my progress. The church inquisitor has speed on his side. Still, I ran, using some runes to hinder their progress in their hunt. Damn these priests, all they do is ruin things for me, I'm just trying to save lives.

The chase continued into the night. The knights and the inquisitor sure are persistent, I'll give them that. I tripped over something and fell face first into the snow. "com'ere witch!" the knight closet to me said as he pulled out some ropes. I tried to crawl away, but he caught me all the same. Tying my hands behind my back and started to hold me up.

"PLEASE! NO! DON'T!" I screamed, begging to released. He removed my hood and wrapped the second rope around my mouth like a gag. I can't use any incantations to make an escape now, and the Inquisitor has his black keys out and ready to use. 'is this it? Is this where my journey comes to an end?' I asked myself in my head, tears began to flow out of my eyes, I don't wan to die, I have so much left to do.

I almost accepted my fate until I was suddenly dropped onto the ground, I look behind me to see the knight that was holding me was on the ground with a sword protruding from his head, blood covering both the ground and me, a black knight fell from the trees above me with barbed crimson spear, aiming the spear at a knight behind me, the squelching sound of flesh and bone being destroyed filled the air as he then quickly pull the spear out of the poor soul and killed another in quick succession.

He rushed to my side and had his back facing me, his long crimson cloak flowing with the wind. His bloody spear ready to spill more blood tonight. "Why are you defending evil! She is a witch; she must be burned in order for her soul to be saved!" said the Inquisitor, the Knight defending me looked like he didn't want to talk things out peacefully, he banished his spear, it was a projection? How is he casting projection on THAT level? I finally noticed that he also had a dragon core, but it was more powerful than the ones Edith, Artoria and I had combined. He then projected two more noble phantasms, a pair of twin swords of an unusual design. The inquisitor charged at him with his black keys ready, but his attacks were parried and his throat was slit. The hunting party that was after me was all dead now, their blood covering the ground and myself.

The Black Knight then turned towards me, I got a better look at his armor now, it covered him head to toe, his helmet was designed after what looked like a dragon with horns pointed upwards. He stood around my height and had a very broad build. It was obvious through the way he held his weapons that he was trained for years on how to fight in many styles, a veteran knight perhaps.

He started to walk towards me with now one sword. He's going to kill me! Please no, I don't want to die! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! "Hold still." He said to me with a somewhat baritone voice, he walked behind me and cut my hands lose. I quickly went to work on my gag and ran away from him in fear. This monster can't be trusted. He didn't immediately follow me; he just followed my tracks back to my cottage.

Once I was in my home, I looked at him, he couldn't see me though. He almost placed his hand on my bounded field to destroy it, but he stopped midway through and walked away to a nearby tree, magically removing his armor to reveal a handsome face with smooth red markings on his skin, he had amber colored eyes and red hair. But his eyes spoke of sorrow and loneliness. "Illya…" I heard him say through one of my familiars. Who's Illya? Was she someone he mistaken me for? The tone of which he used to say that name spoke of great pain.

The sounds of his sobbing were jut heartbreaking to me, despite how horrific he killed those men, this knight was obviously broken. He then banished all of his armor and wiped away his tears with his sleeves. Somehow, he even forced himself to sleep, self-hypnosis perhaps. I'll check up on him tomorrow.

I strengthened my bounded field just in case and washed away the blood that covered me and changed my cloths. I hesitantly slept in my hay pile, scared about what that knight/magus is capable of. However, that knight plagued my dreams, I saw him fighting my uncle on top of a Hill of Swords, Vortigern looked even more menacing than the last time I saw him, he had similar red markings that covered his entire face and his eyes glowed a sickly yellow color. Behind them where several warriors with the same markings, all of them jagged and angry.

Next was the same knight, holding two longswords now, they looked like Caliburn and Excalibur, but they were _very_ different in power. In front of him were those warriors but behind him were two red dragons. I knew that one of them was Artoria, but was the other one me? They two dragons bowed to him as a dark cloud formed around the knight, what came out was a massive Black Dragon with long, stag-like antlers for horns and very long fangs for canines, his scales were all sword tips and his eyes glowed both amber and crimson.

I then found him sitting on my uncle's throne. But he looked down onto the ground, depressed and lonely. What I saw next was a feminine looking being of light slowly walk towards him, he didn't notice until she lifted his chin with the back of her fingers I couldn't ell what he was feeling because his helmet obscured his face, but I can tell from his posture that he was happy. The images then began to fade into nothing.

I woke up from my strange visions. A tear trickled down from one of my eyes, why was I crying? What was the point of these visons? This Black Knight…fate has great and terrible things instore for him, I can feel it. I looked outside to see that the Black Knight was in a similar situation, tears were flowing out of his shut eyes, a nightmare perhaps?

I walked outside of the bounded field so he can see me, but I still kept my distance, dragonkin don't usually help one anther and for good reason, they are very territorial when it come to things, we usually value strength over all other things, throwing away the weakling children at a young age if they don't prove themselves fast enough.

He slowly woke up and turned his head in my direction, those sad dead eyes of his were just too much right now. "Are you alright?" I asked him. he gave me a sad little smile and said.

"I'm alright, just some bad memories came up in my sleep. I'll be okay in a few minutes, how are you doing Lady Morgan?" What? Does this man know of my origins? If so, then why is he treating me like royalty, I'm a bastard, something that is meant to be shunned and forgotten.

"Why did you call me that? Yes, my father is the late King Uther Pendragon, but I'm a bastard…unless, you're talking about my mother, are you?" on my fathers side I'm a bastard, but to the Fae, there is no such concept, I'm their princess because of that. He nodded, confirming my suspensions, he knew that I'm a crowned princess of the Fae. Did Vivian send him here to protect me? If so, then why send a Dragonkin, surely The Wild Hunt would suffice better for this role. "Why are you defending me?" I finally asked him.

"…Because I made many mistakes in a war I fought in. I made a deal with a powerful entity in that I can start again, but I have to protect you, perhaps by doing this, I could find someway to forgive myself of what I've done." I could tell that what he said was a half-truth, he can't really lie that well from what I can see. His eyes told me enough of the actual truth in that he wasn't comfortable in going into the finer details of this war.

**AN: Hello everyone, if you are reading this, then this means you've read the revised version of chapter 2. I've decided that I'm going to rewrite all the chapters I've written so far, this way I can add somethings and make the story better. Like I said in a previous author note, I'm planning on making this story for a long time. Like I said in the old version of this chapter, this is not HF Shirou, his story will be explained in much more detail in the prequel once this story is done. Then its onward to the sequel, the final chapter of the Pendragon family. **

**If anyone is looking for the inspiration of his armor, it's a mix of LAter's and Arthur's armor, just imagine that look for Shirou. **

**I'm still keeping some elements of the story the same, just expect them to return later on, my goal is to make this tory with a better pace right now. **


	3. Chapter 3: Hidden Forces at Play

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 3**

**Hidden Forces at Play.**

I never expected Morgan to be this kind really, to think that this is what she used to be like before she gave into her anger. I got up and turned my cloak back to where it should be, Morgan tensed up for a second, I know she's still scared of me, my skills are terrifying enough to scare even the most grizzled veteran. It's better that she knows only part of my past right now, I'll explain the rest of it when I get her to Merlin so that she can be safer than she is in her home right now…speaking of, shouldn't the church have sent reinforcements to kill her already?

"What's wrong?" she asked me, something isn't right, "The Church, they should have sent reinforcements hours ago to kill you." I paused; I need to investigate this matter. "Get back inside, I'll search the area to make sure your safe." She tried to argue but I gave her a glance that told her to do it anyway. She didn't even have a chance to argue back. I walked south of our position to find nothing, the same was true with the east, west, and the north. All directions were void of other humans; the church should have rallied a garrison at Morgan's doorstep by now, I realized that the areas were also void of animal life as well, what the hell is going on? I ended my search of the area and returned to Morgan's bounded field. She walked out of it and waited for what I had to say.

"The entire area around us is void of both humans and animals. I suggest that we find a nearby village to get information on to what is going on." Morgan agreed with what I said, she called her familiars to be our eyes and ears as I escorted her to the nearest village from her home.

As we got closer, I picked up the smell of smoke, lots of smoke, both wood and flesh. They weren't cooking, I know the smell of burning human flesh all too well. "Try to catch up." I said to her as I rushed towards the exit of the forest. What I found was the entire village burned down and all the inhabitants laying dead on the ground in front of me. Morgan finally caught up and immediately ordered me to help her look for survivors, if there were any.

**[Kizuna]**

We searched for hours just to try and find a single survivor, but our efforts were fruitless, well…almost. Morgan found a dying little girl in rags, it was too late to save her, she was too weak to even speak about what happened. When she finally passed, I took off my cloak and wrapped it around Morgan's shoulders to comfort her. Her sobs were saddening to hear for anyone really. I set up a fire near the village and told Morgan to stay as I pilled up the bodies so I can burn their remains. She didn't even talk or look at me, she was heartbroken over this whole thing. I'll ask her when she's ready to talk about it.

The prosses was harder than one would think really, most of the bodies I found where ripped apart, I managed to find several heads in a single spot and the bodies for said heads in ditch next to them, what found to be the scariest fact about this is that their heads weren't cut off, they were torn off from their necks. What could have done this kind of monstrosity? These were just regular, innocent humans. I pilled up all the remains that were outside of structures and burned them with a torch, the church was next. As I walked closer to it, the sense of dread started to permeate the air around me, whatever laid in that church wasn't something for the faint of heart. I tried to open the front door only to find that it was blocked from the inside.

I need to find another way in there. The tower is my best bet right now. I summoned my armor and used my gauntlets to scale the walls to get inside. The smell of blood filled the air. I climbed down to investigate; I wish that I hadn't now.

Everyone was dead, a single man with a bloody dagger laid in the middle of the church, walls painted with blood, I looked around to find the bodies of the women and children that made it inside. All of them with their throats cut open. The worlds "GOD HAS FORSAKEN US" was written on the floor with blood, I got a closer look at the murderer to find out that it was what looked like the Father of this church. He slit his own throat, deciding to die by his own and then be killed by whatever killed everyone outside. I picked up the dagger to trace its history to get a better picture on what happened, I was right, the Father killed all the women and children in the hope of them going to heaven, but he took his own life in the end. If I remember correctly, in the Catholic faith, suicide is a sin that takes your soul to hell, damned fool, he couldn't bare the guilt of taking innocent lives, so he took his so he can be punished in the afterlife. I started a fire so that their remains can be laid to rest and destroyed the blockade at the front entrance and banished my armor.

All of these lives were taken in a single night by some unknown enemy, I'll look into this further when I get Morgan back to her home. I got back to where I left Morgan to find that she was still crying. I picked her up bridal style, she yipped when I did that. "W-w-w-w-what are doing?" I could tell that Morgan was never treated like this before.

"I'm taking you back to your home. We're not safe here, whatever did this will be back, and we need to hide when that happens." I told her, she looked down in acceptance after I said that. I started the trek back to where this journey started, I got a quick glance at Morgan to check on her wellbeing, she was heartbroken over all this bloodshed.

I finally go to the bounded field and entered to find a small cottage. She insisted that I put her down now, but I still held onto her, she's mentally exhausted right now and needs some sleep, "Save your energy, you need some sleep right now. Let me take care of the rest." Morgan blushed after I said that, if I hadn't saw what happened in the church earlier, I might have chuckled at her slight embarrassment.

I entered her house and laid her down on the pile of hay that I suspected to be her bed, she offered to give me back my cloak but I told her that she could use it as a blanket right now, I'll just use her fireplace to stay warm. I need some time to review the mental notes I took during my investigation of the village; Morgan had some attachment to it and is now devastated by it being what it is now, she knew who the little girl was and perhaps knew everyone there two. The sudden sound of steady breathing interrupted my thinking, I looked behind me to find Morgan fast asleep already.

Morgan apparently was quick when it comes to falling asleep. That's good, one less problem to worry about. Now, back to my mental notes. Through tracing the history of that dagger, I discovered that the people were terrified of what was slaughtering their fellow villagers. It wasn't human from what I could tell. "GOD HAS FORSAKEN US" was written on the church floor, I've heard how bad Saxon raids were from tales from my mentor when we took breaks in that artificial world she took me to for 5 years. But this made those raids looks tamed, the Saxons were savage with their killings, but the way these villagers were killed said that what killed them wasn't human, the mana of the world at this point in history was more dense, that also means that phantasmal species were living with humans, I've never heard my mentor ever talk about villages being attacked by goblins or werewolves before, what the hell is going on?

It wasn't before long that I fell asleep on the floor that I said on, when I woke up, I was comfortable, a weight was on my chest. I looked down to find Morgan snuggled up on my chest with my cloak covering both of us. When did she do this? It's not like I mind, I just held her closer to me to make sure that she's safe. She didn't wake up when I did this, she just unconsciously snuggled right above my heart with a slight smile. I looked around to see one of her familiars was giving me a serious look, I know it's telling me to not go too far. It's not like I planned for this happen!

I could use this to my advantage, just embarrass her when she wakes up. I find the thought to be rather amusing, on second thought, that might be a bit mean. She's part Fae and my mentor told me that Fae feel certain emotions differently than we humans do, feelings like love or heartbreak could be felt more intensely while other emotions might be nonexistent, she also told me that Merlin leaned that the hard way thanks to the time he cheated on Vivian. But Morgan is also part human so she could be doing this for any number of reasons,

It took a while for Morgan to wake up, when she did, she was uncontrollably blushing and tried to use my cloak to hide her face from me. I found the whole thing to rather cute, it didn't take her long to get up as well, when I looked outside it was already night. But something didn't feel right. "Stay here, I need to go investigate something." I gave her a serious look as I said this, Morgan nodded her head and stayed put with my cloak still over her shoulders. This is a problem that I'm going to need to figure out alone. I've always worked better alone anyway.

I walked outside the bounded field that protected Morgan's cottage to find torches lighting up an area and moving. I decided to scale a tree to hide myself and jumped from tree to tree so I can get a better look. The beings holding the torches weren't human at all, they were goblins. Artoria said that Merlin once told her that their used to be goblins in forest, they traveled in packs of 12 for safety, but what I was see was over 50 goblins all at once. Their eyes were glowing yellow and they had red, lightning like marks covering their leathery green skin. They wore black armor that looked like it was hastily made. They were walking like they were possessed, blindly following orders of whatever evil spirit controlled them. Swords and machetes were being dragged along the snow-covered ground as they marched.

I need to get back to Morgan, she isn't safe here. I turned around quietly, I know they can smell me, so I need to be fast about this. Once I got back inside, Morgan was worried and asked me what I saw, I told her about that army of possessed goblins were near by and that we need to find Merlin and NOW.

I helped her pack the things she needed, several medicines and ingredients packed in glass bottles were shoved into a traveling bag. I quickly grabbed Morgan by her left hand and ran outside, we need to get out of this forest, we aren't welcome here. This place has been claimed by a darker force that I need to hunt down soon.

As we ran out of the forest, something wrong happened to me. My chest was in so much pain and my skin felt like it was on fire, my skull felt like it was about to explode. I held in my painfilled screams. Morgan rushed to my side to try and help me. "Sir. Knight? Sir. Knight! Hold on!" before I knew it, the world around me blacked out, I heard muffled voices, unable to figure out what they said. I felt someone picking me up, I then finally fell completely into unconsciousness.

**How did you guys and gals like that? I've been thinking on trying to get more horror themed elements into my story, please leave a review on how I did it, was it good or bad. **

**Like I said before, I'm keeping some elements of the old version for this story, but in a slower and darker pace. I realized too late that my Shirou wasn't "dark" enough so I decide to put him in a darker world this go around.**


	4. Chapter 4:A New World

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 4**

**A New World**

I was in pain when I woke up, my entire body hurt, even moving required sheer will power. 'all well' I said in my head, 'I've been through worse, I did humiliate that dog after all.' I chuckled when that memory came to mind, beating that dog with his precious spear. Serves him right, he did pierce my heart with that accursed thing after all. I turned my head to my right to find Morgan, sleeping on a chair and covering herself with my cloak, the sound of fire cracking could be heard. I tried to sit up but my movement stopped because of the sheer amount of pain that I felt.

I heard crackling electricity from my left hand, I looked at it to find red tattoo like marks. When did those appear? They went up to my shoulder, my chest, and I think it also went up to my leftt eye. They weren't like my mentors or Sakura's, those were jagged and angry, these were smooth and calm. I tried to run Prana through my body only to find that the red marks also began to glow the moment I did.

"So, you are awake?" A strange male voice said to me, I tried to turn to my right once more to find a young man who looked like to be in his twenties, white hair and cloak, and holding a staff with a short sword sheathed into it. Merlin? Artoria did tell me that his appearance in the stories is nothing like what he really is. The big question right now is does he have pain killers.

"Merlin, I assume?" he nodded his head, "Ah, good…ya got anything that can stop this pain I'm feeling…all over…" he said he didn't have any, well…shit, looks like I'm going to be bed ridden for a few days or weeks. That's the last thing I need right now, the deal was that I protect Morgan, nothing else. I can't do that if I'm stuck in bed with this much pain. Look at the bright side, at least there isn't a small animal sleeping on me right now.

"Fou Fou" a small phantasmal creature then jumped on to my chest, by the root did it hurt! I don't care if that damned magical cat is purring on me, it HURTS! "Merlin, would you kindly get your pet off of me, it's causing an enormous amount of pain right now and I REALLY don't want to be on your bad side." He laughed as I said that and quickly got his…whatever…off of me.

"Alright, alight. Now I'm going to ask you a few questions, but we must be quiet, I'd rather not have my charge wake up." He said this to me as he looked at Morgan with a small smile. 'Charge?' so Merlin was the one who raised Morgan in this timeline. That explains a few things, I'll ask more about it later, once this pain goes away that is.

The questions he asked me were simple, who am I? where am I from? Why am I here? My name is Shirou Emiya, I'm a man from the East, and I'm here to protect her." I said to him, the look he gave me told me he didn't believe me, I wouldn't blame him really, he has every right to distrust me. My armor probably looks demonic, that would explain why those knights were so scared of me, that and I did surprise them. I'll ask him some questions about this new world I'm in later.

"What are your real intentions with my daughter, Dragonkin?" Merlin said to me with a threatening tone. Why did he call me dragonkin? I'm not a-wait a minute...no... this cannot be happening! That spirit, whatever it was, did _something_ to me. Does this mean I have a Dragon Core now? How is this even possible? This should _not_ be possible!

"W-I'm-what the hell is happening to me? I shouldn't be a dragonkin! Tell me what is happening to me-AGH!" the pain came back in full force, prana leaked though me in energy, Merlin quickly got up from his chair and tired to help me with whatever was causing this. But what he did didn't do anything for me, the pain only got worse. A bright red light began to shine from my tattoos. Before I knew it, I was out cold again.

* * *

I was in a vast, endless desert with swords everywhere, I was in my reality marble once more. I know why I was here; I also know that something is wrong. I looked at the ground, there should always be 27 magic circuits when I use it, but what I saw was over 500 of them. I went to touch one, only to be shocked with red glowing prana, corrupted prana? Why was that here? I KNOW that I should not have that, I may have been bathed and washed away by the curses of Angra Mainyu. But I overpowered those curses at the cost of my past life. What is going on.

I heard a massive and booming roar behind me, a massive black dragon with jagged red marks all over it, long, vampire like fangs, and finally, glowing red eyes. I couldn't run away, I was frozen. I know I'm not afraid, I'm incapable of feeling fear thanks to all the trauma I've been through. This thing though, I know it should not be here.

"Why did you kill us, Shirou?" a familiar feminine voice said behind me, I turned around to see Sakura. Why is that monster here? Sakura looked bloody and pale; she even had a puncture wound where her heart should be. This is a dream, that has to be it. "Why did you kill us?" I turned around once more to see… Illya? She was also bloody; her eyes were dead and emotionless. Blood trickled down from her mouth.

"Why didn't you stop me big brother? Why did you let me die?" stop it! Please stop it! Please stop it Illya!

"I-I-I didn't want you to die Illya." I said to the image of my sister with sorrow in my voice. I looked around to find that dragon, it disappeared out of thin air. The sudden smell of smoke and burning human flesh began to permeate the air.

I blinked, the area around me changed back to Fuyuki, I looked down and I was 7 years old again. "Save us!" "Why aren't you saving us Shirou?" "Why? Why did you let us die?" "You couldn't even save _her_." stop it, please stop it. I'm sorry…I'm sorry I'm sorry… "I'm-I'm sorry I couldn't save you…." Tears began to flow out of my eyes once more, I-I really am a failure. I could not save anyone…I failed to even save my mentor. WHY DID I ACCEPT THAT DEAL!

I held my eyes close, the smells and flames slowly vanished around me, but I didn't care, why should I even care about anything. I then heard giant footsteps heading towards me. I opened my eyes to find that dragon once more. I finally got a better look at it; it was heavily scarred, and battle worn. Its face wasn't that of anger or hate, it was sorrow and pity.

**[Down in the Zero]**

"**I'm sorry you couldn't save them…I know exactly how you feel Shirou."** The mighty beast said to be. Did it really know my pain?

"**I too lost everyone I loved; I even waged a mightyy war against the ones who did it. But even then, I did more harm to my kind than I did good." **He was telling the truth, I could tell easily, are we really that alike?

"**In the end, I was cursed to an existence as a ghost, forever wondering the lands in search of a successor, until that Magician came, he told me that there is a world where I can finally find a successor, so I agreed to go along with him to this world, that is were I found you as a boy, wondering around those ruins." **What? Zeltrech sent him to my world? What did he mean by successor?

"Who are you?" I finally said to him.

"**Abaddon, the First King of Dragons, some even called me the Black Dragon of Vengeance. And you, Shirou Emiya, are the Second King of Dragons. The reason why I called you the Black Dragon of Swords is because of your…unique element." **That explains a few things, but Dragon King? I'm the Second Dragon King? I didn't even know that there was one.

"What did you do to me?" I need to know, what did Abaddon do.

"**I'll gave you my power, though, I was surprised to see that your marks aren't like mine, it's almost like they reflect you. You are not like me; I gave into my hatred towards those who wronged me. But you, you only had a grudge towards few people, the one girl especially. Oh! I forgot to mention that when you made that deal with that Magician, he put you on my world."** He was talking about _her_, Sakura Matou, just thinking about her makes me angry. He also said that I'm now in his world, if that's true, then perhaps he can tell me about what's different here.

What he told me after that is that the marks on my skin are magic circuits that match his, he gave me a dragon core that puts others to shame, and finally, he's not telling me what else I can do know because, as he says, I need to discover things myself. He told me that he left his memories in my subconscious for me to find later on and get his full story, right now he has to help the rest of my body get acclimated to its new condition. Until he's done, I'll need to rest for a few weeks. Just as I feared.

"What do you know about Morgan Pendragon?" I need to get back to the previous topic, I need to know what happened to her here in this world, I'm her protector after all.

"**She is the child of a Red Dragon and The Fae Queen, a rare hybrid with power beyond comprehension. I think she'll make a fine Dragon Queen." **He said to me with a smile, 'queen?' what? No!

"She's my mentors half-sister, I harbor no such feelings towards her. The look Abaddon gave me said that he didn't believe me. It didn't help that I was also blushing right now.

"**I give you some information on our kind, we are not ordinary dragons, we are Primeval Black Dragons, we don't go about getting as many mates or sleep with as many women as we please, unlike Morgan's late father. You only get one mate and that's it." **the way he talked about Uther as not pleasing, Abaddon clearly disapproved on how Uther lived his life and fathered a child outside of his marriage. Who was his wife by the way?

"Who was Uther's wife anyway? I know it can't be Igraine." Abaddon gave me a small smile; I already know what that means…this world I'm in is completely different.

"How many children did he have?" I'm already afraid about the answer. Uther couldn't have fathered more than two children, right?

"**Four, the first was Edith, the second was Anna, and finally Artoria. All three of them where born from Igraine's womb, Morgan was born outside of Uther's marriage." **…what? Four children, then again? Children don't usually survive long in this era, so it makes since to have as many children as possible to ensure the survival of the family, though with royalty, that usually leads to civil wars among siblings. But with dragonkin being the said royalty, things would get a bit more violent. Abaddon noticed my worried face.

"**I know what you're thinking, and yes, the civil wars they would cause will be more violent…unless you intervene of course. Though that would be difficult, seeing that our kind don't really like the idea of having a king right now…even after the first war was so long ago."** That does make since, dragon kind has been in hiding even in the 21st century, was Abaddon the reason why?

The world around me started to fade away, I'm waking up, damn it! I need more answers.

"**Sorry, my successor, we'll have more time to continue where we left off when you go back to sleep, right now you other things to deal with."** My dream world exploded in a flash of a bright light; I woke up in pain once more, at least it isn't as bad as it was before.

* * *

"Fou?" there it was again; Merlin's familiar was now laying down next to me this time. It looked like a very fluffy dog mixed with a squirrel, it even had a little coat put on it that looked like Merlin's cloak, did Morgan put it on it? The creature got up and then walked towards my face and started cuddling it. It obviously trusted me.

The door opened and who walked inside was Morgan, "Oh, I see that Cath trust you. That's unusual, he usually has trust issues when it comes to strangers." Cath huh, so that's his name.

I sat up with a bit of a struggle due to the pain, but I managed it non the less. I also noticed that my shirt was missing, the numerus scars I got from my battles against those corrupted Servants being brought bear along with the red tattoos on my skin, I finally got a better look at them, they were etched onto my entire torso and both of my arms, but stopping at my wrist, I traced my right hand on them to see that they did stop at the bottom of my left eye, the patterns were like circuits. Morgan tried to look away with a blush, was I really that easy on the eyes?

"h-h-Has Merlin come by yet?" Morgan said to me while shuddering her words. I can see that she's trying hard not to look at me in my current condition.

"Not that I'm aware, I just woke up really." I paused before starting again and petting Cath, "Have you seen my shirt anywhere? I would like to have it back." Morgan looked around to try and find it without looking back at me, this is really amusing to see, when she found my shirt, she tossed it to me and hastily rushed out of the room saying that she'll look around the castle for him with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

So, I'm in a castle huh? Whose castle is it that I'm in? I know Merlin doesn't have one, so I might be in Sir. Ector's Castle. Never mind, where I am doesn't really mater at this point, I have all this new information I need to review, I'm the Second King of Knights and King of Dragons, but I can't be both, can I? Abaddon said that dragon kind doesn't really like the idea of having a king right now, he said something about things being like that since "the first war." But what did he go to war against?

"AGH!" a sharp pain was felt on my left shoulder, I'll ask Morgan if she packed any pain killers she made in our escape. This pain that I'm going through is by far worse than the time I got stabbed in the heart by that blasted spear. Cath noticed my plight and then started cuddling my left side with a purr. "Fou?" it then looked at me with a curious face, like it found something familiar about me, before walking away with its tail between its legs and ears back. It found something about me to be afraid of. How strange. Does it know of Abaddon? Do Merlin or Morgan know more about him? I should get up and try.

"GAGH!" no luck, the pain in my legs only increased, looks like I'm not going anywhere, I put the covers back on and waited, thinking back on what I've learned once more. If only Avalon were working right now, then I wouldn't be in so much pain and I could be free to roam about wherever I please, that sounds like heaven compared to this.

I was about to fall asleep again when the door opened once more, Merlin was there and Cath jumped onto his right left shoulder, he had a serious look and walked towards me.

"Now, before we were rudely interrupted, I'll ask you one more time, what are your intentions with my daughter?" he said once more, this time with a threatening tone, I told him the truth again, he didn't believe me. I didn't know Merlin to be the overprotective father type.

"Do you know of the name 'Abaddon?" I asked him, Merlin's eyes widened, "How do you know of that name?" he said with fear in voice. Artoria said that Merlin isn't the type of person who gets afraid easily.

"A black dragon told me that name in a dream. You're have incubus, you should know what that means right?" I said to him, Merlin backed up and unsheathed his short sword, pointing it at my throat.

"Stay away from her!" he yelled to me. He's serious, I'm not in good shape right now so I can't fight back. My only hope is that Morgan gets in here to help settle down the situation.

"...GAGH…I told you Merlin, I'm only here to protect her, nothing else. I know you don't trust me because I'm a dragonkin but believe me when I tell you that I'm first and foremost a knight above all else. Harming her is something I will never do." I said to Merlin, trying to calm him down, but it was no use. Merlin used a projectile spell on me, but my armor was summoned automatically without me calling it, deflecting the spell.

"Dark Fae Steel? How do you have that!" Merlin screamed at me as I banished it, I don't want a fight right now, I'm tired of fighting.

"Someone made it for me, I don't know who made it, perhaps if you just calm down and study it, then we can find out." I told him calmly, he didn't sheath his sword, but he did slowly walk towards me, I summoned my right gauntlet for him to study, but the real problem was actually taking it off, it was difficult really, it was like it refused to part with me. Merlin finally got a better look at the scary looking black armor. The curiosity was burning in his eyes, he was astounded by its design and by the material it was made from.

"This-This should not exist; Oberon banned all use and production of this metal! Only a member of the Fae Royalty could have ordered the making of this!" Merlin said with surprise. Merlin let his guard down, but I didn't take this opportunity, I need his trust right now I'm to protect Morgan. A member of Fae Royalty huh? Perhaps Morgan's mother made it for me?

"Did her mother make this then?" I asked him.

"No, she would never do this, I know her, and Titania would _never_ order something as dark as this to be made!" Merlin said to me like he was offended, perhaps he was once close to this 'Titania.'

Titania huh? So that her name, the mother of Morgan Pendragon. The late queen of the Fae. I wonder how her husband Oberon feels about this, he might want her dead really.

"Does Oberon want Morgan dead?" I asked Merlin, He looked back at me and answered yes. Huh, then perhaps I should swear an oath to be her guardian then, like a 'proper knight.' That way I can gain Merlin's trust, slightly, and gain Morgan's as well. "Can I have my armor back." Merlin passed it at my face, but I caught it before it could.

"Now, back to the previous topic, what do you know about Abaddon?" I asked him once more.

"Abaddon the vengeful was the first dragon king, if he is talking to you in your dreams, then you are already the next dragon king. The next god slayer." Merlin said to me, 'god-slayer?' how powerful am I going to be?

**Over 100 followers! I love you people!**


	5. Chapter 5:Unsettling Dreams

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 5**

**Unsettling Dreams**

Merlin explained to me who Abaddon really was, or at least part of what he was. Merlin said he only knew a handful of stories, the oldest of Dragonkin families know more about him. from what he says, Abaddon was somehow wronged by the gods and rallied almost all of dragon kind and half of humanity to his banner in a short time. Their goal was 'to free both humanity and dragons from the greedy grips of the gods.' He even killed several gods from what Merlin told me. But in the end, he was defeated by the remaining gods.

So, I have inherited that power, yet I have to discover what I can do on my own, he said that he isn't helping me on my journey to obtain my power. What a helpful and wise king he is… Right now, I have more pressing matters to get back to, that army of goblins, something felt familiar about them. It felt like Angra Mainyu, that should not be possible, I don't have enough clues to figure out what's going on and I can't find out more because of my current condition with the amount of pain that I'm in.

Merlin said that Morgan is still currently working on a more powerful pain killer suited just for dragonkin so it's going to take awhile for that to get done. So, in the meantime I could read a book or something, or just read up on the history of the weapons I have stored in my Unlimited Blade Works to pass the time.

"What are you going to do now Shirou Emiya?" Merlin asked me, perhaps I should swear that oath, once I'm done healing of course.

"From what I can see, you can do very little right now, your body is changing after all." The half-Incubus continued as he then started to pet his familiar to try and calm himself.

"Right now, I can do a few things… I think I shall meditate for the moment so I can pass the time. I'd rather be in a kitchen cooking or practicing my combat skills to keep my mind off things, but sadly I can't." Merlin looked taken aback when I said I'd rather cook than be right here in this bed. So, what if I like to cook, it be good for me right now seeing that I haven't really cooked for 5 years now because of my training.

"Well I'd recommend you get something to eat, I'll have Morgan cook you something so you can regain some strength." Merlin said to me as he got up from his chair once more, "Oh!" he started once more.

"Do no. touch. Morgan… are we clear." I nodded to him, Merlin was serious when it comes to protecting her, did he foresee my arrival? Was Morgan important to it?

Merlin left the room, leaving me alone in my thoughts once more.

* * *

I can't believe it! That boy is the second coming of Abaddon? To make things worse, now that Morgan is away from her forest, Oberon will now send The Wild Hunt after her soon, that mean's she'll finally meat _him_ after so long. Why is this happening so quickly?

I can't in two places at once, I have to protect my charge, but I also have to protect her little half-sister. To make things worse, villages are getting slaughtered by an unknown enemy. The visions Morgan and I have didn't show us this… why didn't the Fae foresight tell us this? Somethings are always the same, Artoria will pull Caliburn out of the stone and be crowned king, slay her uncle Vortigern, unite her people and then die on Camlann hill.

What our visions see about that boy…there always changing, in the 5 days that he's been here asleep, Morgan and I have been having different visions of the future for him, it's like fate doesn't know what to do with him. one vison he's sitting on Vortigern's throne, the next he's living alone in the woods waiting for something, and another he's with Morgan siting, looking up at a full moon.

What I find to be the most chilling is that Morgan told me that in one vision, she saw him fighting a knight in skeletal armor with a crown on his head. So, he's going to fight _him_, that does not bode well. The strangest vision I've had of him is where he's standing on top of a hill covered in swords, a strange night sky above him with pitch blackness, save for the few stars that shine in it. He wore a red mantle and black armor, holding in his hands a large black bow.

Who is he really? I know Morgan knows little about him, all she said about him is that he's come here to protect her so he can find a way to forgive himself because of the atrocities he committed in a war he fought in. What was this war for and what atrocities did he commit to become this?

I found Morgan in the spare guest room Ector had, she was reading of course, always the book worm that girl. She's been like this ever since I taught her how to read.

"Morgan," I started, she looked up from her book and gave me a small smile.

"Yes, father?" 'father.' I guess I alone hold the right to be called that by her after how Uther treated her when she was able to walk.

"Can you make Shirou something to eat, I know you've always been a better cook than what I can make." I said to her, she looked confused, Oh! That's why.

"I forgot to say, that knight that was protecting you is named Shirou." Cath leaped off my left shoulder and then jumped onto Morgan's, that little beast, he's always had a soft spot for her.

"Okay, I get started right away. Did you learn anything else about him?" why did she ask that question…well, now or never I guess, she needs to learn about the first vision I had of her.

"…He's the chosen successor of Abaddon the Vengeful…that's why he's in so much pain." Her eyes shrunk in fear, she knows full well what I just said means for all of her kind.

"You mean…Shirou is currently in the process of becoming the most powerful dragonkin in existence?" Morgan said to me, I nodded to confirm her fears.

"Don't trust him, we still know very little about him and we don't know what his true intentions are, so I'd suggest that you tread carefully around him for the time being until we find out more about him." Morgan agreed with what I had to say, but I also know that she's starting to have growing feelings towards him, I have a feeling that things are only going to get more complicated as they progress.

The feelings she is starting to have for him are for good reason though, he willingly protected her from a witch hunt and didn't ask for anything in return, like how a hero from the tales of old would. Perhaps he's just trying to trick us or is he somewhat chivalrous. Only time will tell.

* * *

I fell asleep again, the nightmares just continued their assault on my mind, the constant smell of burning bodies and people screaming for help, Sakura's haunting laugh invaded my ears, I turned around to find her again, her now red eyes glowing in the darkness and her white hair reflecting any light they can.

"_what's wrong, your majesty, did you fail to save someone close to you?"_ she was mocking me once more, mocking me for my failure in trying to save my predecessor and mentor.

"_Why are you doing this Shirou, I though you loved Sakura?" _I turned around when I heard Rin's voice, I was seeing a memory again, my school library, the time I killed Shinji in cold blood and then broke that cursed item he was holding. Trying to get answers from Sakura, any means that I deemed necessary to do so.

"Senpai, why…why are you doing this?" Sakura said to me, the drug that was contained in her earring quickly kicking in, her eyes were filled with two emotions, lust and confusion. I did not share these feelings with her, I only had one, hatred.

"I'll ask you this once, where is Artoria?" Rider then took the opportunity to attack me, I used time alter to move faster than her, tracing a punch dagger as my weapon, I punched her with enough force to send her flying backwards with my weapon imbedded into her stomach.

"RIDER!" Sakura screamed, worried about her Servant. I made sure to keep her attention by tracing Clarent, making sure the tip of the blade touched her neck.

"Are you so desperate to get my attention that you are willing to damn someone to a fate worse than death? Are you?" I was furious now, even though this is a memory, the emotions still feel fresh to me. I used one of the swords abilities, but instead of red lighting coming out, it was blue, signifying that the sword as accepted me as the rightful successor of its original master.

"Senpai…why are you doing this?" she asked me once more.

"Because you are a threat to all life, now answer my question. Where is Artoria?" I said to her with rage in my voice, my eyes were ablaze with that one emotion, but my face was as cold and emotionless as it could ever be.

The window on my left broke, I tuned around to parry an attack from my counterpart, Rin rushed to her sisters' side to aid her. "Sakura!" she screamed with worry.

"What are you doing Shirou Emiya?" Archer said to me, not even noticing the blue lightning coming from my sword.

"Out of my way Archer, I'd rather not fight one of my counterparts." I said to him, surprising him that I knew who he really was.

"H-How did you know?" he said with fear.

"Why are you doing this Shirou, I though you loved Sakura?" Rin screamed to me.

"Who said anything about me holding romantic feelings towards that monster you call sister?" everyone looked at me with anger, betrayal, and confusion. Rider finally got up and tried to attack me, I banished my sword and grabbed the arm she was using to attack me with and dislocated it from her shoulder and then threw her down to the ground and stomped on her spine. Breaking it but not killing her.

Rin then tried to use her Bajiquan* on me, but I parried her every move with time alter, my mentors light side still in me and using her scabbard to heal me as I continuously used Time Alter to counter Rin.

"RIN, GET OUT OF THERE!" Archer screamed, Sakura's powers then started to go out of control, she was angry at me for breaking her heart, get screamed like a banshee she was so angry at me.

"Shirou, how do you know that Sakura was the one who took saber from you?" Rin asked, trying to calm down her sister. I placed my left hand over my heart, letting Avalon shine its golden light from there.

"This is how Rin. Behold the light of Avalon, The Ever-Distant Utopia…the same utopia that your 'sister' has denied access to my mentor." I said to her.

She forced Rider's healing to accelerate with a command seal before giving her the right to kill me, I used Time Alter to get out of the situation and escape through the broken window, running on the walls and onto the cement, I needed to get back to the armory that my father left for me during the war.

The world around me changed to the first time I met my mentor's darker half. Berserker was on the ground defeated and healing, "Get my sister to safety Heracles, this is my fight…not yours." I said to him, the giant nodded his head and jumped away from the battlefield.

"Do you have a death wish, successor?" Artoria's darker half said to me, almost disappointed in that I have to fight her, perhaps thinking that it is not worth fighting an opponent that she deems weaker than her.

"I don't, but…" I paused as I traced both Clarent and Caliburn. "I will do what I have to do, I'm an The Second King of Knights after all…you taught me once that a king should never seek to start wars-"

"But must always be prepared for one." She finished what I was about to say before getting into a stance, I did the same. Ready or anything that's heading my way.

"Big Brother what are you doing!" Illya screamed at me from a distance, her servant trying to get her out of here, but she still refused. I didn't answer her question, I focused entirely on this fight that would start any moment.

**[Roar of the Universe]**

Artoria was the first to move, I parried every attack she gave me, and she did the same. We were equals in this fight; 5 years' worth of training being brought bear through this single duel.

"I must say, I didn't think my weaker half had it in her, to train someone to be as cold as this is truly a pleasant surprise." I know why she said that, she thought that both sides of here were the same when it came to be being cold and distant to everyone. I know that if I wasn't her successor, she would not have talked to me at that moment.

"You're wrong, Artoria. Vivian brought some help, my father taught me to be this cold when I have to be." I stopped talking from then on, I had to fight to save the world, if I had failed, then the world would have died right then.

We continued to fight, every time we exchanged blows they were parried, but I managed to get a few good hits on her, she did the same, our duel may not have been as grand as when she fought Heracles, but it was still epic nonetheless,

We were pushed away from one another after one strike, Artoria readied Excalibur Morgan, I banished Caliburn and readied Clarent. She was holding back to make sure that the sword would only use the equivalent of an anti-army noble phantasm.

**[Excalibur Zero]**

A dark pillar then erupted from the mighty sword. "Excalibur-"

A blue pillar of light came out of my red and silver sword. "Clarent-"

"-Morgan!"

"-Blood Sakura!"

Our strikes clashed against one another. Artoria's light side forced Avalon to manifest itself to protect me, Saber Alter was being protected by Sakura and her tendrils. Both of us were still standing, ready for anything to be thrown at us. We continued to fight, neither of us were backing down or surrendering.

Illya as then joined by Archer and Rin. "What was that light?" asked Rin.

"…Big Brother…how can you…be the next King of Knights…" Illya was trying her best to even talk at that moment, Archer blinked a few times, trying to see if his eyes were deceiving him.

"…how is this possible…I was never able to do that in my war…." Is all he managed to say at that moment.

"Your War? Archer you'd better explain this to me after we end this fight. Illya!" Rin said.

"No good, Berserker needs time to recharge his Noble Phantasm, you're on your own." Is all my sister said to her, Rin then knew that she and her servant were on a suicide mission, if they fail…there's no going back for one of them.

"Stay here Rin, I'll end this." The moment Archer said that, a large beast attacked my counterpart, it was Lancer.

"Sorry, Archer. Masters orders…you'll be joining us." I needed to end the fight with my mentor, I thought at the time that I could convince my counterpart into helping me, a foolish idea now of course.

I had to save my counterpart right then, I used time alter to back away from my fight with Artoria and traced several throwing knives, all of them aimed for the corrupted hound. But it was no used, damn that protection of arrows.

I then traced Caliburn once more, I needed a weapon to kill that dog right then. I pushed Archer away from me, Saber swung her sword where I originally stood, confused that I wasn't there.

"Lancer! You dare interrupt my duel?" Artoria was furious at that moment, but I ignored her. I forced Gae Bolg out of its owners' hands and pierced his heart with it.

"How does it feel to be killed by our own spear Cu Cuchulainn?"

"He-He killed lancer?" Rin said.

"Is he even human?" Illya asked.

* * *

I was suddenly awakened by someone, it was Morgan…thank goodness, I really didn't want to see the rest of the atrocities that I committed.

"Are you okay? You were shaking in your sleep." She asked me worried.

"Yeah, I'm good…just give me some time." I paused before starting again. "I just realized that I haven't even introduced myself, I'm Shirou Emiya." I almost gave her my hand, 'Do not. Touch. Morgan.' Merlin's voice was echoing in my voice

"Morgan Pendragon" she finally greeted herself to me.

I just realized that I don't know how long I've been sleep, perhaps I should ask.

"I know this may sound random, but how long have I been asleep here?"

"Five days now I'm afraid." What? Five days. how am I even alive? I should be in starving but I'm not.

I thought that you'd be hungry, so I made you something to eat." That solves one problem. But with me now being a dragonkin, just how much do I have to eat?

I was surprised how good Morgan's cooking was. Although I suppose it make sense, seeing that she's been on her own for some time now and being on your own, you learn things quickly the hard way. Even I know that.

I suddenly felt something wrong, it wasn't the food, it felt familiar. I sprung into action and rushed to the source of my disturbance, ignoring Morgan's pleas that I needed to rest. My senses lead me outside to the training grounds, I looked up to find True Assassin on the roof of the castle.

How is Hassan here? I banished this train of thought and called forth my armor and traced Kanshou and Bakyua, throwing them at the corrupted Servant. He dodged them and looked at my direction. Screaming in rage before making a b-line towards a young Artoria training with who I believed to be her brother Sir. Kay.

"Zabani-GAH!" he was about to active his noble phantasm when I stopped him in a body slam. Pinning him to the snow covered grown.

"GET THAT KID OUT OF HERE!" I yelled at Kay; he didn't argue. Hassan managed to break my grip and escape, I traced two longswords and readied myself for any attack.

"So," the blackened heroic spirit started, "You really are here, Second Magus Killer."

**[This Battle Is To The Strong-Epic Canon Remix]**

I didn't say anything to him, I just rushed towards him with blinding speed and both swords ready to strike him down, but he dodged my attack, throwing dirks my way, I parried each and every one with precision.

I rushed towards him again with both swords ready to strike him in a helm splitter stance, he dodged again, I knew he would do that, he fell right into my trap.

**Time Alter-Double Accel!**

I moved faster than him to slice his stomach, Avalon may be mine now, but I have to wait for a few years for it to work on me, meaning I can't use Time Alter too much without damaging myself. Hassan jumped into the air and landed next to training dummy, trying to use it as cover, he then started to remove the wrappings on his unusually long arm.

"Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat!" he activated his noble phantasm. Shit! The orange glowing cursed hand quickly closed the distance between us and headed strait for my heart faster than I could react.

**-Clang-**

My armor deflected his noble phantasm. What? Never mind, I can use this to push my advantage. I rushed towards him in his confusion and pierced his heart with both swords, lifting him into the air. He started to cough up blood from his mouth.

"What?" is all he managed to say before I removed the swords through his sides. Blood rushed out of the disappearing body. My swords along with him.

The fight was over. I was panting, hard. My armor may have deflected that noble phantasm, but that didn't mean it didn't prevent its energy from entering my body. My adrenaline rush faded, and I collapsed on my knees into the snow-covered ground. Exhausted just from this one, quick fight? I need to get back into shape.

The pain returned. But it wasn't as bad as before. It only effected my chest area now; I banished my armor and rolled my left sleeve up to see the red marks on my skin were glowing with sparks flying here and there randomly. The world around me started to spin and before I knew it, I was out again.

**Bajiquan for those who don't know is the fighting style used by both Kirei Kotomine and Rin Tohsaka, it's Chinese in origins and is also based off spearman ship and instead of aiming for the body, your aiming for the internal organs of your opponent. **

**I know the part where Shirou is breaking Sakura's heart is hard to read, but it is part of the plot, in order for him to save the world Shirou must be willing to do things that he normally would not have done before.**

**The new feel I'm trying to get for this Shirou is that he's a mix between Archer(original) as well as during and post Fate/Zero Kiritsugu Emiya.**


	6. Chapter 6: Revelations

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 6**

**Revelations.**

I woke up once more, the pain didn't hit me this time, I tried to move my hands but was stopped, I looked to find that I was in chains while in bed, I looked up to find Merlin looking down in my direction.

"What was that…thing…you killed and why was it going after the child?" he said to me, Artoria always said he was carefree and happy, but right now he was the exact opposite of that, cold and dead serious, that human side of him is really taking over. Incubi are not known for being like that, they are one of the lewdest of demon kind after all.

"That" I paused as I tried to sit up, "was a Servant, you'd known them as Heroic Spirits. The variant that you and I sensed was a corrupted one, nothing more but a dark and twisted perversion of their true selves. I recommend you place the most powerful bounded field you can make over this castle, it's Artoria's best chance."

I then heard the unsheathing of his sword and then the tip touched my neck.

"How do you know of the child's true name…" his eyes were practically glowing with anger. I'd better tell him the truth.

"Does the name 'Zelretch' sound familiar to you?" I calmly asked him, his eyes widened before finally giving me a small chuckle and sheathed his blade. "So, you are from another world then, that answers a few of my questions."

"Yes, and this may surprise you, but in my timeline, Artoria was the one who mentored me, she taught me how to fight, survive, and how to be a king." Merlin then gave me a curious look; he was probably wondering how his method of a king's rule might turn out.

"But, because of the era I am from, the world no longer needed a knight in shining armor, the world needed a warrior that was willing to bend the rules in order to save lives. My father helped me in my magecraft and other training, he taught me how to use stealth, guerilla tactics, assassination, and how to be a cold-blooded killer that can make even the coldest and most inhuman of Magi afraid." Merlin gave me that look again, but now with a hint of fear, he should be afraid of me. I'm as much the monster as my former friends said I am.

"…Because of what I've done, saving your charge is the only way I can seek atonement for my actions…" Merlin looked confused when I said, 'saving your charge.' "What do you mean by saving Morgan?"

"…If you are not careful, her power and rage will consume her. Leaving her as nothing more but a shadow of the person who called 'daughter.' It's something that I'm familiar with really, those with great power should be careful not to be consumed by said power."

"What about you? You have the power to slay gods resting within you. Do you know how many would want to get that kind of power?" Merlin said to me, he's right, but I also know how to control myself through sheer willpower.

"I was taught on how to control myself at all times, if you can't keep a steady head, then the battlefield will be your grave." Merlin knew I was right the moment I said that.

"Were you able to recover any more information on our assassin?" I asked him without giving it a second thought. "Not much, all that was left was that skull shaped mask and throwing knives he left before they too disappeared. Do you know its name?" Merlin asked me.

"His true name has been long forgotten; he went by the title of 'Hassan of The Cursed Arm.' I would be dead by that hand if it weren't for my armor." I called it forth to check on the damage, but I still couldn't move my hands much because of the restraints.

"Could you please free me from these chains, I need to check on my armor." He got up and said, "No, you don't know of the true capabilities that armor holds, I'll be the one checking it." Merlin got a good look at my chest plate. I could tell that he was somewhat afraid to just touch it.

"Because of your armor's dark nature, it absorbed almost all the damage. The most you would have felt would be a slight stinging. I recommend that you keep yourself in check for the time being." Merlin said this after checking the armor.

"Your amor is unique in that it heals itself. Dark Fae Steel is the rarest of metals in the moonlit world, and with the amount you have, you need to be careful. There's a good reason why Fae royalty banned all production of this material, and no, it wasn't because it was hard to make, the real reason why it was banned is because it has some of the strictest requirement to wield it."

"What are the requirements to wield it?" I asked Merlin.

"It requires someone who has lost everything and has survived multiple curses that could kill a man, and for you to be wielding an entire suit of armor from head to toe tells me that's exactly what happened to you."

"…Twice." I said regrettably.

"…What." Merlin's voice was serious once more. I guess it's time to tell him my story.

"I've survived over a thousand curses twice, both times by the same deity…Angra Mainyu…" Merlin looked terrified when I said that name.

"…You mean…the same entity that is the embodiment of all evil." I nodded, confirming his fears.

"Don't worry, my Artoria passed down a Fae construct that negated the curses. Twice she's saved me from that monster, but of course, I still bare the scares from those incidents." The screams started, begging for help, to be saved. But only I was saved that day.

"What is the name of this Fae artifact?"

"What is the scabbard to the holiest of swords?"

Merlin lost all ability to speak. he knew of Avalon, and I just told him that I am its second owner. He could not believe it. Yet the armor and my scars are proof enough, no one could survive all of those curses unless they were protected by Avalon.

"Is that the reason why you saved her, you owed her a great debt?" I answered yes to his question again.

"So…is your Artoria in Avalon then?" Merlin said to me. Why did he have to ask that damned question?

"...I…I failed to save her…she…she's damned to a fate worse than death now." tears started to flow.

"She was corrupted by Angra Mainyu, her physical body taken over by her darker half while Vivian created an artificial world within the sheath, there she called forth my father, both my Artoria and Kiritsugu trained me." I paused as I caught my breathing. "She and I were part of a unique conflict in my homeland. We called it 'The Holy Grail War.' In it, seven Magi are chosen to be masters, each of them must summon a servant, to summon one however, requires an artifact related to the heroic spirit. When I summoned Saber, I accidently recreated Caliburn at the same time. Setting a prophecy in motion."

"What was this prophecy?" Merlin asked.

My tears stopped as I started once more. "The King of Knights salvation, lies in the hands of the successor, The Black Knight that will shake the heavens." Merlin winced when I said 'Black Knight,' he may be The Magus of Flowers, but he lives by a knightly code, Artoria told what she knew about him and even she didn't know the whole truth, and Vivian wouldn't give up the whole story.

"Why would that sword deem you worthy? I made sure only those pure of heart and wield it." He's right, only those pure of heart can wield the blade.

"I still am, to a certain extent that is…" I then felt the sudden presence of a dragon, Morgan was coming. "looks like we'll be having company soon, we will finish this another time. Now can you please release me before I do it myself."

Merlin waved his staff and the bindings unlocked themselves. "Thank you." I said as I rubbed my wrist "By the way," Merlin started, "has Avalon stopped your aging?" a good question in all honesty really. "No, Vivian put a special rune on it that makes sure Avalon doesn't recognize me as its owner until I reach a certain age. Right now, I think it's in the process of changing into a form better suited for me."

"How long do you have?" Merlin asked me.

"I have 4 years right now, once that happens, I'm immortal and invincible…" 4 years until I say goodbye to any hope of having something that resembles a normal life.

Morgan then walked in with some more food. "Oh good, you're awake. I made you some food if you were hungry."

The food Morgan made was good, even for food quality in this era. I think if she were to live in my era, she would be a head chef of a 5-star restaurant. That's one thing we have in common.

"I forgot to say this earlier. Both of you have to hide in your rooms soon, Edith's husband, King Urien is coming here. I don't know why, but I suspect it has something to do with the recent events around the land. I'll go set up that bounded field you recommended earlier."

King Urien of Rheged. That's not good, and with him being Morgan's brother-in-law, things are going to get even more difficult, and before I thought that my relationship with my sister's family was complicated. All I did was reveal the truth about the grail to them.

"…Why does he have to visit Ector anyway?" the way Morgan said that was odd, like she held nothing but disdain for him. what happened between them I wonder.

"You know I like this as much as you do Morgan, but due to recent events around Britain, I think that Edith might be scared for the child's life."

"What did Urien and Edith do to you two anyway?" I asked them, Morgan looked down with her hands in fist shaking. Merlin was similar but to a lesser degree.

"…they burn those suspected of being Witches, Wizards, or Magi on the stake. Even those they suspect for being heretics." Morgan explained everything on why she and Merlin hate them so much, she even told me that Edith was there when she was being shaved and whipped by the church. My blood started to boil at this revelation.

Merlin rushed to Morgan's side after hearing this news, I can already see tears were starting to flow from Morgan's eyes. I wanted to comfort her, but I know that Merlin might kill me if I even touched her in front of him.

To hell with it. I got up and hugged Morgan along side Merlin, he gave me a death glare but that quickly stopped when Morgan buried her head into my chest. Cath was now hissing and spitting at me because I was hugging Morgan. But I don't give a damn right now, she needs another shoulder to cry on right now.

I now know that beneath all of those smiles Morgan made, there's a troubling past, just like me, only my past broke me. She wasn't broken by hers, only haunted by it. Merlin then picked up Cath and placed him onto his left shoulder once more before clearing his throat to get my attention and to tell me to let go of Morgan, but she clung to me regardless.

Memories then started to flood my mind. Taiga dying as her soul was sucked out before me, I tried to stop Sakura, but I failed. Artoria hugging me as she disappeared into her personal hell, Illya clinging to me as I held her, running away from her castle, Saber Alter chasing us and Heracles buying us time until I fought back. Rin hugging the red pendant that Archer held after he confessed his love her before I incinerated him. I hugged Morgan back to the point of pain, I don't deserve this second life. Saving Morgan is the only way I can somewhat forgive myself.

The me that my former friends once knew was only a front. I was always somewhat distrustful of them, I knew Sakura and Rin were Magi through their smell, so I held them closer to make sure that I was right, and in the end, I broke them through one string of actions, one by one they all fell. Morgan stopped crying, this time it was she who was comforting me, Merlin stopped and looked sympathetic, he knew why I was crying.

He might have me explain the rest of my past to him later.

"Sh-Shirou, you're hurting me." Morgan pleaded to me. I let go and kept my distance. Merlin grabbed Morgan and said.

"Give him some space, he's been through a lot." The two left me alone once more.

* * *

Over the next few days, I kept my distance from Artoria, interfering with her early life would cause a disaster, it could even bring the Counterforce. That is the last thing that I want, having to fight that fool again, I hope that my lesson got to him.

My recovery was finally over. Now I can move about as I please, to a limit of course. I need to think this out, but I also need to exercise my body to keep my strength up. I decided to multitask, just ceaselessly do pushups while I think this out.

With Hassan showing up, I can only deduce that Angra Mainyu is also alive at this time. With Hassan recognizing me, it can only mean that Zelretch brought Angra Mainyu here, meaning that I somehow failed in killing Sakura, that's not impossible, Angra Mainyu would be desperate to save its potential descendant.

That's something that'll catch Alaya's attention. But it will also cause the deaths of more innocent lives. I need to leave this castle to find out more, but I'll have to convince Morgan to come with me, problem is that she doesn't know how to fight. Perhaps I could train her on how to fight with two knives or train her how two use a short sword, but that also means that I have to convince her adoptive father, Merlin, on agreeing to train her.

But what to really train Morgan in? She already has the control over the light eating shadows that runs in her bloodline. She could take anything, the only things that hold her back are maybe ideals or fear of losing her humanity.

"AGH!" I screamed in pain as I collapsed onto the floor; my magic circuits were acting up. _"Careful, successor. Your body is still getting used to its new power. If you want to go on an adventure, I recommend you wait for a while." _Abaddon said to me. He was right, perhaps training Morgan in bowman ship would help. Perhaps it could also help me gain Merlin's trust, Morgan already somewhat trust me because I saved her life.

The pushups stopped after that, I needed to think straight.

Urien will be here soon, and that means I have to keep both Morgan and Artoria safe, if he tries to take her, then I _will_ use my abilities as a show of force, I need to make sure that Urien and Edith don't interfere with what's a play right now, I don't want all of the people of Rheged to be slaughtered just because of their foolish leaders decision.

***knock knock***

"Come in."

Morgan was the one who came in, she looked scared. I already know why, Urien is nearby and Morgan could feel it.

"Sorry for bothering you, I just don't know where else to go. Urien will be here in an hour."

"It's alright," I said to her, "I'm just thinking about recent events."

"The failed assassination?"

"Yes, Merlin did tell you what it was correct?" she looked confused, are you kidding me Merlin. Are you really that protective of her?

"Is he really that protective you?" she confirmed my suspicion.

"Do you even know of your family's ancient power?"

"What power?"

My blood started to boil, Merlin…you idiot. "Where's your ward. I have something to say to him." I said to her while trying to contain my rage. _"Careful Shirou," _Abaddon said to me, _"Your rage will turn you into me if you fall into it." _I took his advice and, when Morgan told me where Merlin was, went to his temporary workshop. Morgan didn't follow me; she just hid in my room.

"Oh, hello Shirou, what are you doing he-" I stopped him mid-sentence and grabbed him by his collar.

"Why didn't you tell Morgan about her bloodline's power?" I calmly said to him, Merlin was the one who was scared now, he wasn't scared for Morgan like before, he scared for his life.

"What are you talking abou-"

"DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME MERLIN!" I shouted at him.

He hesitated, Cath finally showed himself and tried to attack, but I gave him one glance that told him not to do that if he values his life. He then backed away before I turned my attention back to the flower magus.

**[Fate/Zero-the Dream Fades Before Dawn]**

"…I didn't want my charge to become like her father and uncle. That power…you were right in that great power corrupts, that's why I taught her to use runecraft alchemy, and Fae Magic. To keep her in the light for as long as possible. It's what her mother would have wanted." Merlin was starting to tear up, I let go of him once he was done talking. He fell onto his knees.

"I understand that you want the best for her…but Fate has other plans for Morgan Pendragon. I know you're hiding more than what you just told me. You foresaw my arrival to this world, didn't you?" Between his sniffles, he nodded to confirm what I said.

"You loved Titania, didn't you?"

"Like a mother." he said as he started to look at me once more from the ground. "My mother abandoned me, left me for dead in the woods, my father was a demon and lived on the moon, only Titania answered my pleas for help, she raised me as she would her own child, brought me to the realm of the Fae and taught me everything I know. She ordered one of The Hunt's leaders to train me in swordsmanship. She baptized me so that my humanity will always stay intact."

"…Was the marriage between Titania and Oberon strained?" I asked him calmly, he didn't do anything after that, the look in his eyes told me enough.

"I…I was the cause of their straining relationship. Titania wanted to child of her own, but her husband would not let her, she raised me as her own to help her satiate her desire to raise a child, but it wasn't enough..." Merlin paused, I look through his window to find a small bird, Morgan was listening to this. She needs to hear this as well.

"…She somehow seduced Uther in sleeping with her. Because of Dragonkin's high fertility rate, it was no surprise that she was impregnated. That was what caused Oberon to go over the edge, he banished her and removed her from power. Once Morgan was born, she was left to the care of her father, but he didn't care about her, the maids took care of Morgan until she was 5, Uther threw her out onto the streets, all alone." Merlin paused once more and wiped away tears with his right sleeve, he got up and sat on the nearest chair before continuing his story, I was enthralled by this tale, Merlin had my undivided attention and he knew it.

"I had visions of Abaddon's return, by his side was Morgan. I knew that I had to find her quickly. 'Why do you care about the bastard, Merlin?' Uther said to me. I told him about the return of the Dragon King, of you, Shirou. I told him that if Morgan inherited the family power, then it means that Artoria will never be crowned king, because Morgan would be the rightful owner of the land. The look he gave me…it spoke of fear on a level that I never saw him in, Uther was a man that was rarely afraid, and for him to be _that_ scared should be enough to tell you. Uther told me to find and kill Morgan, I was almost inclined to do it, but when I found her. It broke my heat in two. There she was, in the slums, sleeping under a bridge and starving, looking like a living skeleton and coughing non-stop with a high fever."

"I had my sword touching her frail throat…but I couldn't do it, I brought her back to my home and nursed her back to health. It wasn't until a night of the full moon that I felt something strange was happening, I ran to Morgan's' room and found Titania, petting Morgan's hair as she slept. She said that Morgan was destined for greatness, that Morgan had a life full of greatness ahead of her. She told me to train Morgan once she was done recovering, she told me to teach her all the Fae secrets that I knew."

Merlin's story was interrupted by a knock on the door. Merlin said "Come in." it was Morgan, tears flowing from her eyes. "Father, Shirou. Urien, he's here! And he's here for Arthur." I rushed pass her to find Urien. He was talking with Sir. Ector and Kay, I need to be careful about this, perhaps go to Artoria's door and guarding it will be better. I decided to do that instead of bursting through Ector's study.

Finding her room as the easy part, it's the waiting for Urien that got me uneasy. I know that he might get over here at any moment. I sensed that Morgan was hiding in my room instead of hers, I know she has good reason to be afraid of Urien. I headed footsteps coming down the hall to my left, I looked to find a crowned figure, Caucasian, bearded, brown hair with black eyes. Urien, being followed by a small group of knights with his crest and colors. Ector and Kay were pleading with them to stop.

"Out of my way!" he barked at me with a baritone voice; I didn't move. I summoned my armor and traced a longsword, having its point touch the ground and had bot of my hands resting on the cross guard as I stood guard to my mentor's counterpart.

"You are not king here. Be gone." I calmly said to him. Urien was enraged at my attitude, even more so with my revelation of being a magus. But I could also tell that he was afraid of me.

I decided to use my infamous aura of murderous intent, Urien and his bodyguards backed away, fear is something that my father taught me how to use in great effect, fear is an assassin's greatest weapon. Merlin came down the hall in a rush but was surprised to see me not fighting them.

"Is Lady Morgan alright, Merlin?" I asked him without removing my attention to Urien. "She is alright, what are you doing Shirou?"

"Protecting her half-brother from a fool of a king." Urien was getting angrier and angrier. "You support that wit-" I pulled my sword and pointed it right on his adam's apple.

"…Leave the castle quickly, and I will forgive the insult you made to my Lady." I calmly said to them, I sensed that Morgan was watching from behind a corner. Urien's bodyguards were all training their swords on me.

"I really don't want this to get bloody. Leave. There are higher powers at play here. Anger them and your kingdom will suffer for your foolishness." I said to them. They didn't move, time to show them what I'm capable of.

"Trace. On." Swords formed in the air around me. All of them aimed at my opponents. "Sheath your blades and leave. This is your final warning." Urien finally surrendered.

They did as I said and left the castle without saying another world. Urien looked pissed at this, he knew that he was going to have to deal with an angry wife when he got home.


	7. Chapter 7:Training to Fight Monsters

AN: I know this has taken awhile; I was taking a bit of a break. I'm making plans for the prequel and have been busy in a lot of things.

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 7**

**Training to Fight Monsters**

It's been a few days since Urien left to go back to Rheged. Merlin agreed to start training Morgan in her family's powers, the only problem is that they haven't manifested yet. Her power is dormant right now. Merlin said that it requires something to trigger it to wake up, so right now we are forced to focus on her combat training with me.

"Where are we going Shirou?" Morgan asked me as we walked through the snow towards a small clearing on Ector's land. "I'm going to train you on how to fight, Morgan."

I turned around to see that she looked confused once more. "Your powers are currently asleep, so to compensate for that, I'm going to train you on how to fight. I'm aware that you already know how to survive, but I can also tell that you never hunted in a day of your life. So, we're going to start with Archery."

I gave her a Kyudo Bow and a hand guard I made yesterday out of a yew tree, hard but flexible leather, and some arrows before pointing at the target dummies and circles I made for this. "I'm going to train you on how archery is done where I'm from, bowman ship is treated differently. Where I'm from, archery is focused around one's state of mind and form. Whereas here," I paused before helping her put on the gear correctly. "bowmanship is focused around hitting the target. But that leaves you open to many mistakes."

I helped her draw an arrow and pull it back, as well as putting her in the right position when releasing it. The form has to be perfect for it to be done correctly. She released the arrow, but it missed. Morgan was upset about this.

"It's not as easy as it looks." She told me.

"It never is for anyone on the first try…well, not entirely." I said to her, once more she looked confused.

"I've never missed a shot in my life, even the one time I did, it was on purpose. I wanted to know what it was like to miss a shot." There was some hope in Morgan's eyes when I said that, to her, this means that she's learning from the best of the best. She'd be right if she was thinking that.

"Just…how long have you been training?" Morgan asked me, a good question.

"Ever since my father adopted me, that was when I was 7 years old." Morgan almost looked like she pitied me as I continued my story. "I agreed to be taught by my father in magecraft and other things like guerrilla warfare, stealth, and assassination. My surrogate sister taught me in the basics of swordsmanship, but I quickly proved that I needed a teacher that was better than her. Just about everyone who taught me said that I was a prodigy. Archery was not an exception, no one came close to my level of skill."

Morgan was enthralled by my tale; she couldn't wait to continue her training. But she was also confused.

"Why are you training me, I'm just woman. Women aren't meant to-" I stopped her and said.

"Where I'm from, that's bullshit. There was an order of warrior women that, although not much is known, where highly skilled and dangerous to fight against. Especially with that pole arm of theirs. It was like a spear, but instead of a normal spear head, it had a sword blade."

"Where I'm from, if you can pick up a sword, you are trained to fight with one. That is why I'm training you." Although what I told her was true, it won't happen for several centuries. The Onna-bugeisha* were revered in my homeland, might as well twist the truth to fit the current situation.

"…They trained women to fight in your country?" Morgan asked, I nodded. She was astonished by this revelation.

"They were needed to know how to fight when men were at war. Bandits were always got off guard when they ran into a village that was protected by the Onna-bugeisha. My final mentor might not have been one of them, but she was still a force to be feared on the battlefield." I continued my history lesson for Morgan, she was intrigued.

"We should continue your training, Morgan." she nodded with renew vigor. "Just remember, even when your powers wake up, you should never forget what I'm about to train you in."

Morgan's training was long and unforgiving. I had to train her in survival, hunting, scavenging, forging. I also trained her in knife fighting, sword fighting, and finally, hand to hand martial arts.

I continued to train her until the weather gradually changed from the harshness of winter to the beauty of spring. Merlin continued in trying to wake up Morgan's power but to no avail, so he focused on the magecraft she could work with, Fae Magic. He taught her it behind closed doors so I wouldn't hear them.

I'm alright with that, I prefer to use my own craft and family's craft instead. Forging swords is a good way to pass the time anyway, although this time it's different. This latest project is going to be my most expensive one.

I already talked Merlin into making Morgan a suit of armor to protect her once we leave Sir. Ector's castle, he said that he already had the perfect design for her. That's good, a suit of armor should always suit their wearer's style.

My birthday also passed, if you could even call it that, I died before I was reborn with the help of Avalon, it was somewhere around the middle of February is when I was reborn, I just spent the day meditating and researching, it was really just something that I really don't give that much thought into, all it is to me is just a day where over 500 lost their lives.

Within these past few months, more and more villages have been disappearing, I've visited some and they had similarities in several cases, some were destroyed by those monsters, but some only had bloody remains of people and nothing more, just like that district in Fuyuki. It wasn't just the people, it was also the livestock and plants, any living thing was gone. Nothing but silence, it unnerved Ector and Kay.

"Why are you used to this Black Knight?" Ector asked me, I always told him the same answer, "I've seen this before. I'm scared just like you, I just know how to stop this." They hated that I was a Black Knight, someone willing the break the code of Chivalry just to win, but they did like my idea of training Morgan on how to fight.

They agreed in keeping Artoria a good distance from me, she was already afraid of me because of my presence, it's like a giant beacon saying, 'I'm here! I'm here!' that makes things easier for me.

Back to the previous topic, the sword I'm making is a mix between swords here in the Britain and Japan. Morgan proved that she's best with a single edge blade instead of a double edge. That made training her easier, I was trained on how to fight with blades like this most of my life. Anything from a Wakizashi to the massive Odachi. I even made my own blade that was a mix between east and western styles back in Fuyuki. Made from the strongest Damascus Steel that Kiritsugu could get his hands on, a katana with a double edge and western hilt. It was truly a beauty before Berserker destroyed it. It took me countless hours to make that thing.

This one will be similar, but be completely different at the same time, I used the local steel they had here I bought from a local blacksmith. It wasn't perfect, but I fixed that of course. Steel around here is stronger than it is in Japan so that means Morgan's sword won't break easily, with the further enhancements I'm giving it, it will be similar to Caliburn in the strength of its steel. It will not be bent like a more traditional katana however, it will be straight, she prefers straight swords over curved anyway.

The forging of the blade meant that Morgan's combat training will have to pause of a while, I'm alright with that, she needs to learn more about her family and its ancient power. It's better to teach her how to control herself before her powers wake up. Abaddon told me every night just how powerful she truly is.

One would think that she had limits, but that's where people, once they get to know her, quickly learn that there are no limits. She's not a human, she's not a fairy, she's not a dragonkin. She's a goddess. A goddess in training, but a goddess non-the-less.

Abaddon wasn't happy when I told him that Morgan was really a goddess, he still has a grudge on the gods. Once I told him that we could use her to help us fight Angra Mainyu, his eyes glowed red with hatred and wrath.

He said that if I walk this path, I will without his guidance on how to use my abilities once they wake up. Just what did the gods do to him I wonder?

It took several sleepless nights to get the blade done. Approximately 2 full days to finish it, much to everyone's dismay. But it was worth it, this sword is my latest masterpiece, I take great pride in my craft. Over 75 folds in record time, unbreakable and perfectly balanced for her. A white diamond was placed onto the pommel, blue jewels were placed on both sides on the center of the cross-guard, the tips of the guards where pointed towards the tip of the blade to allow easy parrying. The design of the sword allowed easy air flow to the point where it was nothing blocking it when it was swung by its user.

However, when it comes to western armor, it's going to need a mana burst and an enchantment to get through both that and the chain mail. Contrary to popular belief in my time, western armaments and armor from this time are not blunt or clumsy. The only things that could go through proper knight armor would be a bullet or a magical weapon. The same with swords here, they are just as sharp as a katana and more flexible too. The only reason why those rumors and misunderstandings exist is because of movies and animation in my time.

That's not a problem for people like Merlin, Artoria, Morgan and me. We have superior strength and speed when being compared to normal humans. The proof is when I used the tips of my gauntlets to tear through a knight's armor, chainmail, flesh, and bone with just one swing. Even Sir Ector was scared of me when he first saw my armor, the dragon like scaling…

"What on earth am I thinking about, I need some sleep… yeah, sleep would do me some good right now." I said to myself as I stated the trek back to my bed. I can still think, but that's the problem, I just need sleep. Staying up for two days right now…how can normal Magi do it?

* * *

Shirou's training has been helpful, I can see that his mentors, whoever they were, took great care in his training. Father's training was more complex, however.

Before I thought that he completed my training, now I know that I barely scratched the surface on what I'm truly capable of. Father-no, Merlin, taught me more and more magecraft, I even surpassed him in several fields, item creation being one of them. Shirou's training help in that regard, his 'Tracing' was the final form of Gradation Air. Being able to almost perfectly recrate or create an item just through mana.

Merlin also told me more and more about my family's power, the very nature of it was dark. An enteral darkness that will forever eat away the light. It is also the same power that made my uncle go mad and slaughter more and more innocent lives just to gain power.

I…I don't know what to do really, training with Shirou always helped me when it came to things like this, I didn't tell him what my power might really do to me. I don't want to end up like my uncle, I don't want to end up like Vortigern. Nor do I want to end up like my eldest sister Edith, a religious zealot who massacres countless Magi just in the name of the god she worships.

Shirou's swordsmanship and mental training helped me keep my mind off of these things, but he said that he always knew that they were bothering me just through my strikes alone. To do something like that just through sharing blows with wooden training swords speaks volumes of what he is capable of.

He always held back when it came to my training, when he was fighting for real, it was completely different. His eyes were dead, but focused, his stance and movements were fluid, emotional, but also cold and calculating.

A bunch of knights saw him training me one day, they even tried to "rescue" me from him, but they were quickly defeated, non-lethally of course, in a matter of seconds. It was amazing to see him use such skills, the level of dexterity he wielded was truly inhuman.

What was bothering me the most right now is that Shirou was working on something secret, I think it all had to do with Merlin saying that my birthday was coming up. After that, he's been working odd jobs nonstop, perhaps going to that large cabin he made will shed some light on this matter.

The trip to there was calming, the trail was illuminated by the full moon, making it easier to see.

"…Morgan…" the ghostly voice of a woman said to me, I turned around to see no one, yet I still felt a strange presence nearby, I know it isn't Shirou, it didn't feel like him, this felt like…mother?

"Morgan…" she said my name once more, louder this time. I turned around once more to find the source, the light of the full moon shinning brighter on one spot in the clearing.

"Are you here, my child?" it…it really was her, my mother! But only her voice could be heard. I rushed towards the spot, it was her, I could finally see her again!

"STOP!" I heard Shirou scream to me, but I didn't stop, I just want to see my mother again.

"Mothe-GAH" I was suddenly stopped, I looked down to see that Shirou used a rope to do this before he started to pull me back.

"What are you doing, that's my Mother!" I yelled at him.

"That isn't your mother, Morgan." he said as he pointed upwards. I looked at the direction he was point at to see a hooded figure with ashen pale skin and glowing red marks similar to Shirou's. she wore a dress that was Greek in style and had a long hood over her face, the dress had a slit showing her left, bare leg. She also held a long staff with a black sun on the top.

"Oh? so you saw through my trap. My master told me that you would do this, Your Majesty." The figure said to him, announcing Shirou's status mockingly. Shirou growled in anger. "Medea…"

"The Witch of Betrayal?" I said. How is she here? Was she a Servant?

"The very same…I must say, to think that the witch among witches would be this week is disappointing. Perhaps history remembers you wrongly, Morgan la Fey." She said to me in disappointment.

"SILIENCE CASTER!" Shirou roared at her. "Your fight is with me."

"Well…It's a good thing I brought more than just my Dragon Tooth Warriors with me." She said with a bit of laughter. A sudden gust of wind and sound of clanging chains grabbed my attention. I turned around to see a woman with similar ashen pale skin and red markings, she wore scantily clad clothing with a loin cloth with a good view of her legs, she had a red snake tattoo and her left thigh, long, bright purple hair, her eyes were covered by a blindfold, parried with a black hood with purple trim and a red symbol. She held two daggers that were attached to a long chain.

"…I'll make you pay for what you did to _her, _Shirou Emiya." She said, her voice was filled with rage and hatred. Who was she talking about?

"Medusa. So, you are alive, even after having your throat crushed by my own hands."

He killed her before?

"Morgan," Shirou said, getting my attention. "When I let go, get inside my cabin as fast as you can, things are going to get messy." I didn't argue with him, the moment he let go of the rope he was using to hold me, things did get messy.

* * *

**[Fist of Desperate~Awakening- Fate/UBW]**

Rider was moving towards her to kill her the moment I let go of my rope, I used time alter to intersect her, I pushed Morgan towards my home. She didn't look back to me, she knew that these foes were too much for her. I summoned my armor and traced Kanshou and Bakuya. Morgan rushed towards my cabin and closed the door, placing several runes to act as a barrier.

"Trace. On."

I need to act quickly, two servants so close to Ector's castle is a bad sign. Whoever their master is, has clearly studied both history and mythology. Zelretch brought their master here, and somehow summoned the servants that were both corrupted and killed by me.

Medusa jumped from tree to tree to strike me, Medea reinforced her weapons to make the strikers harder. I parried every strike, Medea quickly had enough and summoned Dragon Tooth Warriors in the dozens. These weren't like from the first time I fought her, these ones were elites. Wielding two weapons at a time and using them like masters.

Rider tried to break into my home, but the barrier was stronger than she anticipated.

"Caster, I need you to use your Noble Phantasm to break this barrier." Medea wordlessly floated down next to Medusa, she unsheathed her dagger, Rule Breaker. Corrupted of course and forever drenched in her children's blood.

***Swing***

***Crash***

***Boom***

I dodged almost every attack her puppets gave me, my armor taking most of the damage defending me. I looked to see that Medea was close to using her Noble Phantasm. They're going to kill my Lady! I can't allow that.

***Clang***

I started to trace the first weapon that came to mine.

_Weapon Found: Begin Tracing Clarent_

"Trace. On." I said as I traced one of the gifts my last mentor gave me. A weapon that amplifies my authority as a King, as well as making my physically stronger my only a rank. The silver and red blade changed to that of royal blue and gold. The blade got wider, but also shorter in length. It truly recognizes me as the true successor to the throne of Camelot. I got into a stance to activate the blade.

"My rage and anger towards the one who betrayed me-" A pillar of blue light shot out of Clarent.

"-made manifest. Clarent!" the pillar got stronger. "Blood Sakura!" I swung the sword horizontally to destroy the puppets around me before tracing Caliburn to pair up with Clarent.

**[Flat Snark-Witch on the Holy Night]**

Medea summoned a massive skeletal Dragon to hold me off, "How naive of you. I thought that you, being the Second King of Knights, would be wiser than this."

My anger was now boiling, I couldn't stop it, they were going to kill her, they were going to kill Morgan. "Stay Back!" she said to them with sword in hand.

She can't win! I need more-more power to save her. To protect her.

I felt a sudden surge of energy erupt from my left torso and arm; my new circuits were activating. Images and voices bled into my mind.

"_My King? What's wrong?!"  
"My family…I need to save my family!" _

All the energy then rushed to my legs; I know what I have to do. I got onto a ready stance and released all that energy, launching myself like a torpedo. Heading straight towards them in speeds I didn't think I was possible of achieving.

"That power…I can't be." I heard Medea say with disbelief. I used both Caliburn and Clarent and slashed away at the neck of the skeletal dragon. I then looked upwards to see that Medea was afraid for the first time.

"It can't be-Abaddon?" her golden, cat like eyes were now visible, the look of pure terror present within them told be how much she knew of him.

"What of him?" I said to her.

"What?"

"What do you know of Abaddon the Vengeful? What did the gods do to him?" I asked her. She didn't say anything, Medusa took this opportunity to rush behind Morgan and grab her with her left forearm and had her right dagger pointed right at her neck.

"Do anything stupid and the woman dies, Shirou." It wasn't a bluff; Medusa would do that.

**[EMIYA-Oath Under Snow]**

I stopped dead, banishing both of my damaged swords and replaced them with Kanshou and Bakuya.

"I swore an oath to protect her, I will defend her no matter what. And I intend to do that." I said to them coldly.

"Trace." Medusa tried to stab Morgan in her jugular. "Time. Stop!" I used my family crest, stoping time for everyone around me, "Trace…...On…" times slowly started to move once more as a sword formed and flew towards the dagger, deflecting Medusa's attack.

"What!?" Medea exclaimed. I collapsed onto the ground, but I continued to trace swords in the air, all of them aimed at my enemies.

"Our master has ordered us to retreat, Caster." Medusa said as she released Morgan from her grip. They then disappeared into their spirit forms and fled.

"Shirou!" Morgan cried. The world started to almost slow down as she ran to my side.

* * *

**[Fuyu no Yousei-Kenji Kawai]**

"Shirou, Stay with me!" I cried out as I lifted him over my left shoulder.

"Morgan…" He said my name with a raspy voice. "Don't talk right now Shirou." I said with a straining voice. He should not have don't that spell. I as I started to walk, I noticed how heavy he was, carrying him would be a difficult.

"Just-stay with me-Shirou." I said in short breaths as I walked towards his cabin. Each step felt like an eternity. I won't give up on him. "Don't you dare die on me."

We finally made it to the cabin, I opened the door and placed him on his bed before removing his shirt so that I could heal his organs. He had countless scars all over his upper body, some of them looked like they came from lethal injuries.

As I began the spell, he tried to say something to me, but I shut him up quickly. I need absolute focus right now. The spell would be relaxing for him of course, the Fae designed it to put the patient to sleep while they are healing their wounds. It makes it easier for the caster.

"Phieww" I breathed out, "Don't ever scare me like that again Shirou." I said as I grasped his left hand. His pulse was slow, it would be after he did a spell like that.

There's a reason why Time Magic isn't practiced by many families, it damages their internal organs, and one spell in particular could give someone a heart attack, Time Stop. It allows one to stop time around them, but still move and cast other spells freely, for a brief amount of time.

I noticed that Shirou's breathing and pulse had finally stabilized, good, that means that I can now move freely around his house.

We built his home on the clearing in the forest we train in. In it, he had so many oddities. A wooden tub filled with constantly hot water, strange sword designs, some of them I didn't even think were possible. And finally, handwritten notes on magecraft involving Anchors, Time Manipulation, and, strangest of all, Reality Marbles. Shirou was a force to be feared when it came to warfare it seems, both physical and magical, his enemies would always be 3 steps behind him.

I looked around his desk to find a small pendant with a ruby. It was beautiful, but I felt like it held a dark past. Faint traces of mana could be felt from the pendant, it felt weaker than the mana in the air for some reason.

My thoughts returned to the Servants, Shirou called them Medusa and Medea. Just how many more of them are there? How did Shirou beet them all alone? Perhaps when he wakes up he can tell me.

***Onna-bugeisha were female samurai that fought in times of great need during Feudal Japan. **

**AN: I'm now putting more time into these chapters, so expect them to be released a bit later. My idea for Medea Alter is that she embraces her reputation on being a witch and openly practices witchcraft. Medusa Alter (Rider) is a mix between her Adult Lancer form and her Rider Form. **

**Please leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8: Scars and Gifts

**Fate: Chosen by the Dark**

**Chapter 8**

**Scars and Gifts**

I find myself standing in a dark, empty void once more. The sound of heavy breathing with anger could be heard behind be, I turned around to see him, my predecessor, Abaddon.

"**Why are they. Still. Alive?" **he said to me with smoke and fire leaking from the side of the mouth, he was furious.

"How am I supposed to know? For all I know that magician brought their master here." I said to him with annoyance, I'm not angry at him. I'm furious at this revelation as well.

"**This situation is only going to get worse before it gets better, mark my words, Emiya Shirou." **He was right, this is only going to get worse, hell, it might even go into a full-scale war.

"Why are you talking to me now?" I asked him.

"**What?" **"You've been silent for a month, ever since I told you that Morgan was turning into a godde-"

"**BECAUSE SHE CANNOT BE TRUSTED!" **he interrupted me with so much rage in his voice.

"Watch your tongue, Abaddon. This is my body remember." I said to him with anger rising.

"**Oh yes, and you seem to be taking **_**good **_**care of it. Oh, how I loved it when you used that spell, a spell that can stop your heart the moment it's done." **He said to me in a teasing manner.

"What else could I have done? Avalon may be mine, but it hasn't accepted me yet. I didn't think, I acted to save my student." My blood started to boil; I can't stand this fool.

"**Yes, and acting like that will get you killed! Have you never once thought about your own life?" **He said to me with frustration.

"_**NO!" **_I roared at him. my voice sounding like a mix between his and Archer's. "_**ALL MY LIFE, I'VE BEEN DEDICATED TO SAVING OTHERS, I ONCE NEVER GAVE A DAMN ABOUT MYSELF OR MY WELLBEING!" **_

"**Watch your tone, boy." **_**"NO! you listen, Abaddon. I lost everything remember, I should have died with my city!" **_I was so angry, the only time other I was this angry was when I found out that Sakura was the one who took my mentor from me.

"**And what, let your student suffer a life without you?" **what? What is he talking about? My body tensed up when I heard this.

"**What? You mean you didn't notice. You really are dense, she has strong feelings towards you, Shirou. And no, I don't mean the friendship kind." **Is- is this even true?

"**At least tell me you've heard it recently, the fluttering of a maiden's heart, Morgan's heart to be specific. Her heart only does this when she's near you." **I was dumbstruck, but I also know that she deserves better, I'm a monster. It's better to leave me alone.

"…No" **"What, you mean you reject her love, reject her heart?" **he said to me with a smile, he really didn't her it seems.

"No, it's not this, it's just that- it's just that she deserves better, I'm a monster. I don't deserve a life of happiness. Such luxuries are reserved for those without a stained soul like mine." I finally told him the truth, he knows that my soul was left stained the time Sakura released those curses on Fuyuki, burning away the city, save for myself.

Abaddon looked at me with a sad frown, he knows full well what I'm going through, it may have been months since the war, but I'm still burning…I'm still bleeding from my scars so to say.

"**Shirou," **he started, **"Just because you did terrible things in a conflict you had no control over, doesn't mean you can't live a little." **Now he's being sentimental? "Why the sentimental crap, I thought that you were 'Abaddon the Vengeful?'"

"**I didn't always used to be called that; you saw the first of my many memories. I used to be called 'Abaddon the Wise.' I tried to create peace between both my kind, and the gods… but…Abzu and Tiamat killed my family. My mate was a Red Dragon, she was badly injured when I first found her in my lair. The moment I saw her green eyes, I fell in love. Her brother was protective of her, but I ensured that him that she was protected." **He stopped, this topic was painful for him to talk about, he just wants to see his family once more.

"**I'll stop here, it's better if you see it for yourself. You will one day." **After that, he just disappeared without a trace, I know that he's mourning somewhere deep inside my soul. I should let him be for now, he and I both went through a lot.

Soon after, I blinked to find myself standing on the top of my snow and sword covered hill, basked in the light of a setting sun. A dark colored blight started to show itself here and there, on both the ground and in the sky. I already know what these are, they are signs that the curses I survived are starting to show their marks. The first time I survived that wave, I died, the second time, I was left wounded and broken.

But my soul had it the worst, Vivian once said that I was like a shining beacon of justice when it came to my soul, but now…now I don't think Caliburn would see me as being worthy anymore. It's only a matter of time until the curses finally take over, I don't think I'll be the same man I am now.

"No," I said to myself. "I won't let those curses take me, there's a reason why that sword deemed me worthy, I have to fight this."

I noticed that my shadow was different as well. I finally looked down at my feet and found that my body was still the same, my soul must be changing into that of a dragon as well it seems.

* * *

I almost stayed up the whole night keeping an eye on Shirou, making sure that his breathing was even, it was, but that didn't mean that I was satisfied with knowing just that, spells that involve time manipulation aren't widely used, and for good reason. Internal organ damage is common among those who caste time magic.

I noticed that Shirou also had many scars on his abdomen, he has a large scar on his left shoulder, looks like from a training accident. The red tattoo like marks on his skin where smooth, giving them a natural magic circuit look. I almost reached out my right hand to touch one but stopped. Something about him…I could have sworn I felt the presence of the holy scabbard Avalon. That can't be right…that scabbard is to be given to my little sister. She alone can wield it.

What those servants said about him, what they called him, 'Second King of Knights.' I've never heard of anyone called King of Knigh-wait, Artoria is to be crowned King of Knights…if so, then how is Shirou the second? "Shirou," I whispered, "Are you from the future?"

It was around dawn that I finally fell asleep. Holding his left hand in mine and resting my head near his legs. When I woke up, I found myself tucked in Shirou's bed, did he put me here? How did he not wake me up, I'm not a heavy sleeper in the slightest, his bed was comfy, surprisingly so. That might be why I didn't wake up until…what is it, past noon?

***CLUNCK* *CLUNCK* *CLUNK* **

The sound of wood being chopped could be heard from outside, at least I now know where he is. I decided to look around his home, I'm not in here that much, so it's feels good so see how much he's changed. There wasn't that much though, only the necessities and several fur pelts to act as rugs and blankets. He had a sword rack that was filled with blades I've only heard stories of, weapons from across the world were all here, made by his hands.

My weapons skills have slowly improved, but I can't say that I'm the best at any form a fighting, I'm better with magical combat if anything else.

I got out of Shirou's bed to go outside, he shouldn't be standing, let alone chopping lumber right now. But I should also be careful, scaring him could make him kill me by accident. Once I exited his house, I turned to my right. "Shirou," I said, getting his attention.

"You shouldn't be working right now; you need to rest for a few days until I know you're okay." His eyes told me he did understand what I was saying. "I know Morgan, but I need more firewood right now. I wanted to cook you something special today."

That stopped me right there. Something special? From him. I can only imagine how good that would taste…NO! he needs to rest. "Doesn't matter, you need to rest, teacher." That stopped him as he was done cutting up another log.

"…I know Morgan. I just wanted to make you something special, today is your 18th birthday after all." That's why he's doing this, do his customs involves gift exchange on birthdays? He rarely talks about his homeland, it's even more rare when he talks about his past.

"The reason why I'm doing this, is because today might be the last day you might have a normal life here. Tomorrow we are leaving this area to stop them." What? Does he mean to stop his old enemies, wait… "Did you say 'We?'"

"Yes," he started. "wait here, I'll get you what I was working on for those 2 days." He left the pile of firewood and his axe on the chopping log. Going inside his home to fetch some item unknown to me. It didn't take him long; he came back with a long, straight cloth covered item. A sword?

"Go ahead," he said, "take it, it's yours after all." I did, untying the strings around the item. I was right, but…I didn't expect it to be such a beautiful thing. A jewel covered single edge blade, its sheath was a beautiful royal green colored, sleeve with blue jewels at the end. The weight and grip were perfect.

"Shirou…" This…this is too much… "I-I can't have this…this is a sword for only royalty." "I thought that you had royal blood in you?" he said to me teasingly. He was right. I am of royal blood. But even so, I don't deserve this. "Shirou, I'm a bastard remember." I said with tears starting to escape my eyes. Is he trying to make me accept my birthright? I don't want that power.

Shirou started to wrap his arms around me, trying to comfort me. "It's okay Morgan. I'll be here for you. Always remember that." Does he-does he know of the great cost my powers have? They've already corrupted my uncle.

"No…it's not alright." I said to him between my sobs. "I-I don't want you to abandon me…I don't want you to-" Shirou silenced me with in a tight hug, he knows that I'm scared. It isn't normal for one to be afraid of themselves.

"It's alright Morgan," he said in a soothing tone. "I won't leave you; I'd be a terrible knight if I did." There he went again; he truly is dense. He then lightly pushed me away but kept his hands on my shoulders.

"Come on, we need to go see your ward. He has something for you as well." What? Did he talk Merlin, my adoptive father, into making a gift for me as well? How many times to I must tell them, I'm not royalty!

"Don't be like that." He said, "I know you don't see yourself as royalty, but you cannot deny the blood that flows in your veins. The decision to take up the throne can only be by your choice alone. I cannot make that choice for you."

Damn…he got me…he's right. I alone can make that decision.

* * *

I took Morgan back to the castle. Making sure that my old enemies from the war didn't attack her, I know that they won't do it, but it's good to be safe. The suit of armor that Merlin designed for her was also unknown to me. The only thing I know is that it's being made the same way that Artoria's was…or will be. Time travel and dimention hoping, both are concepts that are just too confusing really.

Zelretch did talk to me in a dream last night. He said that he was the one who brought their master here, he didn't say who is was though, "That," he dramatically paused, the old fool likes to play games It seems, "is something for you to find out on your own. I don't like ruining surprises. I give them." The way he said that last bit was a bit concerning.

When we got there, Merlin was waiting for us at the front gate. He wasn't happy. "Did you two enjoy yourselves?" he said in a tone that was a mix between rage and teasing. Morgan blushed while looked at him in confusion. His eyes then grew into an expression that I knew all too well. Kiritsugu sometimes teased me if there was a girl that I was interested in. Any parent would do that I suppose.

"Oh, never mind then. Come in Morgan, I have a surprise waiting for you." She didn't know that she had waiting for her. Morgan and I followed Merlin, Merlin's quarters were on the second floor of the castle, just near Artoria's. it's good he moved closer to her, he told me that he would keep a closer eye on her until this war is over.

What he had waiting for her was on an armor stand. What I saw even surprised me, it looked like a rouge version of, light weight looking armor with leggings plus a long waist cape that went down to the bottom of her shins. There was a helmet with a t-shaped visor and a hood over it. The cloth colors were all blacks and royal blues. The gauntlets went up the elbows to allow flexibility. The silvery metal that made up the armor perfectly contrasted the darks of the cloths.

Morgan was just as surprised as I was. "Merlin, when did you have the time to make this?" "I made it in secret, your mother was the one who taught me in the secrets of the Fae after all." He said this with a small, smug look on his face, clearly trying to make a better gift than me, I don't care really. I made her something that she can use to save her own life with.

"I'll leave the room for a bit, try on the armor and see how it fits." I said to her as I turned by back towards her to leave the room, I may have been a cold-hearted magus killer in the war, but I was still raised to be a perfect gentleman by Kiritsugu. Merlin helped her in putting on the armor. I could hear from behind the door that she was perplexed with this new development in her life.

Maybe she was thinking that it was foolish to bring someone like herself on this adventure to save not just Britain, but the world as well. Angra Mainyu isn't going to be easy to beat a second time. It would have learned from the mistakes from Sakura. But…why is it summoning corrupted versions of the Servant's I killed already, did it also summon my mentor? I don't think I can kill her a second time. Would Morgan look at me the same again if I did kill her sister in front of her?

I should keep all of this to myself. Right now, I need to figure out what to make for Morgan, coking supplies are limited at this point in history, I could make her a freshly hunted and cooked deer, or a boar? No, the deer would be more cost effective. With my new senses, I could track one down in a matter of minutes. I could collect some of the herbs I've been growing to add some more flavor to it.

My line of thought was suddenly interrupted when Merlin opened the door next to me, saying that Morgan's ready, I followed him into the room, when I saw Morgan with the armor on, I was left speechless, it was perfect on her.

"**oh hohohohoho!" **Abaddon laughed in my mind, **"Is this the start of you having romantic feelings towards your student, Shirou?" **'No,' I said to him mentally, 'I'm just…admiring the beauty in the craftsmanship in her armor, that's all.' **"oh, I'm sure you are…I may hate her status of being a goddess, but even I can admire beauty when I see it, can you say the same?" **I couldn't see it, but I'm certain that he was giving me a smug look.

"W-Well, how do I look?" she said to me nervously, she had her hood down with her now long hair in a bun similar to Artoira's. the biggest differences one could tell between them is the body proportions, hair color, and personality.

"You look great, Morgan." I said calmly, trying my best o hid my blush. Morgan did start to blush when I said this, Merlin gave me a death stare that only a father would give to someone he didn't trust with his child.

"Oh, and I forgot another thing," Merlin said as he turned around to another chest in his room. "I had a wonder idea for the two of you, since Shirou is your knight, you need to look the part of being a noble Lady. So, I got to work on making you several dresses to look the part." He pulls out several dresses that are all different designs, some looked form fitting, others looked modest he then pulled out a blue, thorny crown. There was a black dress with royal blue highlights, it looked similar to the one Morgan wore in my original timeline, though only the navel part remained the same. I could tell that she really didn't like the look of that one.

"I designed your armor to be summoned at will. Just imagine it not being there and it will change into a bracelet." She started what he said, controlling her breathing to remain calm. In a flash of light, her armor was gone. Only leaving her in an armor-less version of her current outfit. That one would be best for traversing the wilds and blending in with crowds.

"Father, is this really necessary?" Morgan asked him, she was right, Morgan hates being a noble, or even thinking of playing the part of one. Even I'm agreeing with my student in this situation.

"One of my familiars has come back with a report from Rheged. Apparently, they too have a Servant problem." "What?" I said with shock. I shouldn't be surprised really, but…why Rheged? Artoria isn't there.

"Why would Angra Mainyu target Rheged? That doesn't make since." I said to them, "I suspect that Angra Mainyu and Vortigern have formed an alliance. If what I say is true, then you two need to stay close if you are two win this war. Morgan will be the negotiator, if that doesn't work with Edith, which I suspect will happen, then Shirou, you will show them what you can do just to scare them into joining our side." Morgan and I didn't like the sound of that, threatening royalty in their own home, let alone their own kingdom. That's begging for an execution order.

"M-Merlin! Are you asking us to be killed?" Morgan said his name this time, that tells you how bad of an idea that was. "First name this time, was it really that bad Morgan?" why on earth did Merlin even ask.

"What?" he said to her childishly. Keep it up old man, I know what that childish nature of yours is really hiding.

"Why don't you try on the dresses, Morgan. Merlin is right that we need to think out our moves in this war carefully. Root knows that our enemies could be several steps ahead of us. Here, I'll help carry them to your room." She almost spoke out against me carrying them, but it was too late when I picked up the chest full of dresses and carried them to her room.

I didn't need to look at Merlin to know that he still doesn't approve of me being around his charge. I still don't blame him, with everything about me now, and back in Fuyuki, no parent in their right mind would ever approve me being around their kid.

I may be his charge's knight and trainer, but that still doesn't mean I have the blood on my hands washed away.

Through training with Morgan, I can always tell that she's uneasy most of the time. Why would she be in a constant state of unease, the only time where this is gone is when I see her reading a book. Could it be that she is afraid of getting her uncle's attention? Vortigern is active in this point in history, it makes since, what I don't know is what he did to Morgan to make her so afraid of herself.

But my trek back to her room was suddenly stopped by the sound of Morgan crying. She rushed past me and slammed her door. Locking it immediately before I had a chance to see what she was crying about.

"Fou, Fou!" Cath cried out. Merlin slowly walked behind his familiar. I already know that he's the reason why she's upset.

"What did you do to upset her?" I asked him.

"Follow me, I need to tell you something, Shirou."


End file.
